Metro
Hundreds of Taxi Drivers Protest Against Uber
Hundreds of taxi drivers on Monday blocked downtown Warsaw in protest over a Polish draft law they see as favourable to ride-sharing app Uber as well as over US support for the American firm.
Traditional cab operators argue that the Uber app and others like it represent unfair competition because their drivers can dodge the rules and restrictions that regulate regular taxis.
“My current income is a third lower than two years ago” because of competition from Uber, Warsaw taxi driver Marek said, preferring not to give his last name.
“What we’re asking for is fairness: that all (cab operators) be required to be licenced, have a taximeter, that they all pay taxes in the countries where they work and social security contributions too, that they pass exams like us,” he told AFP.
The draft legislation, which would regulate the activity of ride-sharing firms and has already been approved by the government, notably states that a mobile telephone app can replace the taximeter.
The protesters blocked one of the Polish capital’s main streets, stopping before the prime minister’s office, then the US embassy and finally the ministry of entrepreneurship.
Their representatives notably denounced a letter sent to the Polish government by US ambassador to Warsaw Georgette Mosbacher.
According to portions of the letter leaked to the local media, Mosbacher allegedly threatened to freeze US investments in Poland if Uber were to encounter trouble in the EU member.
The cab drivers are notably calling on the Polish government to abandon the draft law and introduce a new law that would protect traditional taxi operators.
Some protesters tossed fake money in the air. The “uberdollar” banknotes were adorned with the likeness of Mosbacher.
The spokesman for the ministry of infrastructure, which prepared the transport draft law, called the cab driver protest unfounded, saying the legislation will ensure a level playing field for all cab operators.
(AFP)
Metro
NAOSNP Walks: Collaboration Between Lagos Command and NAOSNP, a Welcome Development – Lagos CP Moshood
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Moshood Olorundare Jimoh, has commended the relationship between his Command and the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) as healthy, and a welcome development.
The CP made the remarks on Wednesday while flagging off the NAOSNP Walk against Drug Abuse, Cultism and Domestic Violence as part of events marking the 2025 NAOSNP Week.
Surrounded by security operatives, Association members, school children and members of the public at the Lagos Command headquarters where the Walk took off, CP Jimoh noted that under his watch, crime and criminality in Lagos State has been reduced to the barest minimum while urging residents of Lagos to continue to go about their daily activities without fear as the Command is fully ready and on the alert to nib any crime in the bud.
“No doubt the level of crime in the city is very low, but we are not resting on our oars and that’s why we are engaging stakeholders like the Online Publishers in Lagos to ensure we are on the same page to further reduce the level of crime in the state to the barest level. This is not to first time the Online Publishers as an Association is coming to us, and today’s own is very remarkable, and is sending a message to Lagosians out there that this is the right way to go, and to criminals and would-be criminals that crime does not pay” CP Jimoh.
The Lagos Police Command boss also sounded a note of warning to criminals and wannabe criminals that their time is up as they would be caught.
While pledging the Command’s continued support for NAOSNP and lauding the Association as a group of note, the CP declared the Walk open.
Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, has threatened to send out of the weekly Executive Council meeting, any of his commissioners who fails to openly show their solidarity for President Bola Tinubu by wearing the ‘Asiwaju cap’, also known as the ‘President Bola Tinubu cap’.
Okpebholo, while speaking on Tuesday during the swearing-in of the appointees, said he would not forgive any of the commissioners who fails to wear the cap.
According to Okpebholo, the swearing in of the appointees wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Tinubu, adding that several elections have been held in the state in the past, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost due to a lack of support from the sitting president.
“First of all, before we begin, I want to say that this couldn’t have happened if we did not have a responsible President. We have done so many elections here. The major problem we had was the President is not with us.
“So, let me tell you, before we begin, you see this cap I am wearing? I will not forgive any commissioner that is not wearing it.
“In EXCO if you are not wearing a suit, and you are wearing a traditional dress, and you are coming to the EXCO without this Asiwaju cap, you are going back,” he warned.
The governor further warned that he would not tolerate corruption and actions that could undermine the integrity of his administration.
A woman has been arrested for setting their house ablaze after her husband was allegedly caught in infidelity.
The Rongo woman, whose identity was not disclosed at the time of this release, also poisoned all their livestock. The incident happened earlier this month.
According to the woman, her husband, who had claimed to be in Nairobi for a conference, was actually at the home of their neighbour, a widow whose husband had died just three weeks earlier.
She said, “I was passing by my neighbour’s house when I heard my husband’s voice saying, ‘I’m enjoying it.’”
Community relations officers have, however, condemned her act, saying, “Why would someone go to the extent to destroy all they’ve built because of infidelity? What of men who married more than one wife, would she had destroyed the home is she’s one of those women? Our women needs to sit and think before making rash decisions that’ll cost them and their children.”
