$10b Debt: CBN defaults on payment to banks, dollar nears N1k (Punch)
Over two weeks after the Central Bank of Nigeria promised to clear over $10bn foreign exchange debts owed Deposit Money Bank, the apex bank has yet to do so according to findings by The PUNCH.
This came as the naira was sold between 990/$ and 995/$ by Bureau De Change operators on Friday and Saturday in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.
On the Investor & Exporter forex window, the naira however appreciated to 747.76/$ on Friday, from 772.98/$ on Thursday. Read more
Traffic offence: Danfo driver goes berserk, strips self naked after stabbing LASTMA officer (Vanguard)
Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and Nigeria Police, on Sunday, arrested a driver of a yellow bus, Volkswagen ‘T4’ with registration number LSR 966 YE, for stabbing one the officers after being apprehended for serious traffic offence around Costain Round-About, Surulere area, Lagos.
LASTMA officer, Olajide Olukoga, ‘‘Bravo’’ who led the enforcement team, narrated that the Volkswagen commercial ‘T4’ bus was impounded and driver apprehended for picking passengers on main expressway thereby causing serious traffic obstructions to other road users around Costain inward Iponrin.
He added that the enforcement operations were carried out around Costain round-about inward Iponrin after several warnings by the state government to commercial bus/private car drivers of the need to make use of designated bus-stops before picking or dropping passengers or co-travellers across the state. Read more
Tribunal delivers judgement in PDP, LP petitions against Sanwo-Olu today (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has fixed today as judgement day in the petitions filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the March 18 election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran (Jandor), against the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The tribunal led by Justice Arum Igyen Ashom had on August 12 reserved judgement after lawyers in the petitions adopted their final written addresses before the court.
However, the tribunal on Saturday informed parties in the suit that judgement would be delivered today. Read more
Lagos asks shanty owners on Blue Rail corridor to leave (Channels)
The Lagos State Government has asked owners of shanties along the Blue Rail line to leave.
This directive came from the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs Kunle Adeshina said,
“Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab in furtherance of the directives of Mr Governor on Sunday supervised the removal of shanties on the setbacks and rights of way of Lagos Blue Rail line corridor from Orile to Iyana Iba urging those all those concerned to either move behind the road setback or relocate outright,” Adesina said in a Sunday statement. Read more
NIMASA supports LAWMA with safety kits to sustain cleaner Lagos campaign (Sun)
As part of its mandate to safety and environmental management, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, has supported the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) with several safety kits and waste management equipment to sustain the Cleaner Lagos Initiative campaign.
The equipment and safety items donated by NIMASA include 1000 branded coveralls, 1000 pieces of traffic cones, as well as 1000 nose masks. The safety equipment will help to boost the government’s efforts in keeping the cities of Lagos clean. Read more
UN seeks economic opportunities for Lagos women (Punch)
The United Nations Women has urged the Lagos State government to allocate a certain “percentage of contract awards of the state to women-owned businesses to enhance the socio-economic well-being of women in the state.”
The UN Women Regional Director, West and Central Africa, Dr Maxime Houinato, made the call at the weekend when he led a delegation of officials of the organisation to the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency.
The delegation disclosed that the UN Women had decided to fully engage and partner with the Lagos State Government in areas involving women’s economic empowerment, affirmative procurement and other gender-related issues. Read more
Baptist Cleric to Leaders: Listen to God for better leadership of society (Independent)
The President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), Reverend Dr. Israel Akanji, has advised leaders to seek instructions from God and not rely on their knowledge in the way they handle the affairs of society.
Akanji gave the admonition at the First Baptist Church, Ovom Yenagoa, during the induction service of the President of the Bayelsa Baptist Conference, Reverend Dr. Samuel Abili, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bayelsa State chapter.
The Baptist cleric stated that society would be a better place to live in if leaders listened to God and ensured equity in order to give everyone a sense of belonging. Read more
Cement producers seek measures to cut commodity’s price (Nation)
The Cement Producers Association of Nigeria (CEPAN) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the hike in cement price and break the monopoly a particular cement manufacturer has been using against the interest of the people.
The union said this is the major step the government should take urgently to ensure rapid infrastructure development across the country.
It also urged the Federal Government to expand participation in the sector with other companies that have evidence of local investment, including Greenfield licences and quarrying and specifically conclude the backward integration policy of the late Umar Yar’Adua administration which was already favouring the sector. Read more
Usher announces brand new album after being revealed as Super Bowl halftime headliner (Mirror)
Usher has revealed that his new album Coming Home is set to be released next year.
The Grammy-winning R&B icon’s ninth studio album will arrive the same day as his Super Bowl Halftime Show and is set to feature his previous 2023 release “Good Good,” featuring Summer Walker and 21 Savage. The track reached No. 12 on Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart.
The album is the first project Usher has released since Hard II Love in 2016. The upcoming album’s artwork shows a shirtless Usher holding a peach behind the back of his neck with a chain and cross pendant dangling down his upper back. Read more
Ghana: 3-day protests over cost of living crisis, leaders’ “moral decay” end (AfricaNews)
With placards reading Ghana deserves better, we are tired of being voting machines or people equals power, protestors rallied in Accra.
The 3-day #Occupy Julorbi House campaign ended on Saturday (Sep. 23). Despite downpour and sun, demonstrators rallied for political change and economic reform.
“We are only being Ghanaians. All we need is food, water, clothes. We want to be able to take care of our mothers and our fathers, leading member and youth activist-democracy hub, Debora Enyonam Dabor told a crowd. Read more
Deal! WGA, AMPTP reach historic contract agreement to end 146-Day writers strike (Variety)
Hollywood heaves a sigh of relief. The WGA and major studios and streamers have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that promises to end the 146-day strike that has taken a heavy toll across the content industry.
Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached the finish line Sunday after four consecutive days of negotiations. Day 4 on Saturday mostly involved lawyers for the guild and AMPTP hashing out the fine print of language around complicated and groundbreaking additions to the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement. The nitty-gritty details of language around the use of generative AI in content production was one of the last items that the sides worked on before closing the pact. Read more
The Nun II back on top as the Expendables franchise hits a new low (LATimes)
Warner Bros.’ The Nun II topped the domestic box office for the third straight weekend as Lionsgate’s Expendables franchise plummeted to an all-time low.
The Nun II scared up $8.4 million in its third outing for a North American cumulative of $69.2 million, while Expend4bles launched at $8.3 million in the United States and Canada, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore.
The action saga starring Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone has followed the movie industry’s law of diminishing returns for sequels. Its predecessors — The Expendables (2010), The Expendables 2 (2013) and The Expendables 3 (2014) — debuted at $34.8 million, $28.6 million and $15.9 million, respectively, per Box Office Mojo. Read more
Michael Caine questions need for intimacy coordinators (People)
Sir Michael Caine is glad he doesn’t have to interact with intimacy coordinators.
The veteran actor, 90, questioned the need for the on-set role — which is dedicated to ensuring the safety and comfort of actors during intimate scenes — in a new interview with the Daily Mail.
When asked for his thoughts on intimacy coordinators, Caine responded, “Really? Seriously? What are they? We never had that in my day.” Read more
Chris Evans agrees with Quentin Tarantino’s assessment of Marvel movies (FarOut)
The Hollywood actor, who formerly played Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans, has come out in agreement with Quentin Tarantino, who once stated that the real stars of the superhero franchise were the characters, not the actors.
Speaking about the subject in November 2022, Tarantino stated: “Part of the Marvel-isation of Hollywood is… you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters…But they’re not movie stars. Right?”. Continuing, he added, “Captain America is the star…Or Thor is the star. I mean, I’m not the first person to say that. I think that’s been said a zillion times, you know, but it’s like, you know, it’s these franchise characters that become a star”. Read more
MGMT appear to be teasing a new album (NME)
MGMT appear to be teasing a new album after fans spotted a post on the band’s subreddit this week.
As reported on Stereogum, the duo’s Andrew VanWyngarden posted a photo of a test pressing on the band’s subreddit (September 21). The image was accompanied by a banana and the text “elf of soils”.
Reddit users were speculating that it could be an anagram of a new album title based on two earlier posts by VanWyngarden – one that suggested a new MGMT album is likely to come out in 2023, the other titled “Just got done cooking L.O.L” (via Pitchfork). Read more
Osimhen misses penalty in Napoli’s goalless draw with Bologna (Vanguard)
Napoli’s underwhelming start to the season persisted after a missed penalty by Victor Osimhen condemned the Serie A champions to a 0-0 draw at Bologna on Sunday.
The Nigerian striker fired his penalty wide of the target in the 72nd minute after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s deflected cross had struck the arm of substitute Riccardo Calafiori.
After a run of two wins, a defeat and two draws, the champions are languishing in seventh place in the standings and trail leaders Inter Milan by seven points. Bologna are 11th with six points. Read more
Flying Eagles midfielder joins Enyimba on season-long loan deal (Sun)
Flying Eagles midfielder, Daniel Daga, has joined Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba FC on a season-long loan deal, BSNSports.com.ng reports.
Daga completed the move from Nigeria National League side, FC One Rocket.
The midfielder was one of Nigeria’s top performers at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Read more
Solheim Cup: Europe retain trophy with 14-14 tie with US in Spain (BBC)
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda sensationally holed the putt that saw Europe retain the Solheim Cup as they tied 14-14 with the United States in her homeland.
She knocked in a two-footer on the 17th to beat Nelly Korda 2 & 1 in a nerve-shredding finale at Finca Cortesin.
Ciganda won all four matches she played in and was immediately hugged by her emotional captain Suzann Pettersen. Read more
Wales trounce Australia 40-6 to reach Rugby World Cup quarters (France24)
Wales romped into the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a record 40-6 victory over Australia on Sunday that left the twice-world champion Wallabies heading for a pool stage exit for the first time.
Scrumhalf Gareth Davies, centre Nick Tompkins and flanker Jac Morgan scored tries with replacement flyhalf Gareth Anscombe banging over six penalties, a conversion and a drop goal to give the Welsh a third win in three Pool C matches.
The Wallabies lacked nothing in endeavour but made too many mistakes and were outclassed by a streetwise Welsh side, who backed their defence, managed the game expertly and ruthlessly exploited their chances. Read more
Ajax vs Feyenoord suspended with hosts 3-0 down as home supporters throw flares onto pitch (Express)
Ajax’s Eredivisie clash with Feyenoord was sensationally suspended with the away side winning 3-0 at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The referee decided to halt the match after angry fans threw flares onto the pitch.
Feyenoord raced into a three-goal lead inside 37 minutes, with Ajax in disarray. Fans attempted to halt proceedings and there were reportedly three instances of objects being thrown onto the pitch, including flares.
The game continued until half-time but it was decided that the match would be suspended. It is unclear when the remaining 45 minutes will be replayed. Read more
Emotional Leona Maguire delivers 1st singles point for Europe in Solheim Cup finale (IrishIndependent)
Leona Maguire completed another incredible Solheim Cup performance by hammering new US superstar Rose Zhang 4&3 to get Europe’s bid for a hat-trick of wins off to the perfect start in Spain.
With the teams tied 8-8 overnight, skipper Suzann Pettersen put the Co Cavan star out in the second match of the day and she delivered her third point from five matches to put the first point on the board for Europe in today’s 12 singles at Finca Cortesin
“It was just incredible,” said Maguire (28) who made four birdies in her first six holes but was just one up against the former world number one amateur. Read more