Buhari inaugurates $1.5b 1st deep sea port in Lagos (Vanguard)
President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Lagos to officially commission the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport, first in Nigeria.
He will equally commission other projects built by the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Buhari arrived at the Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos on Monday at 3:33pm.
Some of the projects slated for commissioning are the 18.75km six-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway; the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History; and the MRS Lubricant Factory in Apapa. Read more
Sales rep arraigned for theft of N55m furniture (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned a sales representative, Dennis Oputu, before the Yaba Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing furniture valued at N55m.
Our correspondent gathered that Oputu was employed by the owner of Joja Ventures, Janefrances Azolo, as a sales representative in 2019.
The defendant was alleged to have been stealing and selling pieces of furniture without remitting the money to his employer.
The 38-year-old was arraigned before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun on two counts of stealing. Read more
Lagos NSCDC gets new commandant (Nation)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Lagos State has a new commandant.
He is Commandant of Corps Usman Ishaq Alfadarai. He takes over on Monday from Eweka Okoro who has been redeployed to the Osun Command.
Alfadarai was born in 1970 in Zaria city, Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He attended Salvation Army Primary School, Agege (1976 -1982), and Anwar-ul-Islam College, Agege (1982-1987) in Lagos. Read more
Buhari to depart Lagos for international conference on Agriculture in Dakar (Channels)
President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Lagos for Senegal on Tuesday where he will attend the 2nd edition of Dakar International Conference on Agriculture.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement made available to Channels Television on Monday.
Buhari is expected to officially commission some projects in Lagos today (Monday), including the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport, the 32-metric tons per hour Lagos Rice Mill, and the Blue Rail Project, among others.
The high-level Dakar 2 Summit hosted by President Macky Sall of Senegal and the Chairperson of the African Union is held under the theme “Feeding Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience.” Read more
NAFDAC destroys N95b worth of unregistered pharmaceuticals products in Cotonou (Independent)
The National Agency For Food and Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed unregistered pharmaceutical products estimated at N95 Billion (Ninety-five billion Naira) in Cotonou.
Director General, NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, made this known at a
press briefing on joint international destruction of 5 x 40 feet containers of unregistered pharmaceuticals including tramadol 200 MG and higher strength on Monday in Abuja.
Saying, a team of NAFDAC officers (including Investigation & Enforcement Directorate officers), led by Prof Adebayo, the Director of Ports Inspection Directorate travelled to Cotonou where the destruction exercise of the five containers took place on 21st and 22nd December 2022. Read more
Lagos promises to protect citizens rights (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has promised that it will not relent in its effort to protect human dignity and ensure justice for residents of the state.
According to a statement on Sunday, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Titilayo Shitta-Bey, made the promise at the start of an event to commemorate the 2022 World Human Rights Day in Alausa, Ikeja.
Shitta-Bey added that the event could not hold in December of 2022 due to the early vacation of schools, adding that the ministry has continued to sensitise the public about their fundamental human rights through its various agencies.
She said, “The Lagos State government has invariably ensured that through seminars, training, drama presentations, and school debates across the state, it will continue to bring awareness to the importance of knowing your right as a citizen, how these rights can be protected and how infractions are addressed. Read more
NIPOST resumes clampdown on illegal courier operators in Lagos (ThisDay)
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), through its Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD), has resumed its clampdown exercise on illegal courier operators in Lagos, while assuring industry stakeholders of sanitising the courier industry of its sharp practices perpetrated by unlicensed courier operators.
CLRD, last week in Lagos, resumed its on-going clampdown operations on illegal, unlicensed and unregistered Courier, Express Delivery, Dispatch and Logistics operators nationwide after the Christmas and New Year holidays, as stipulated in the statutory provisions of section 43 of the NIPOST Act 2004 and Regulatory Guidelines 2020.
The clampdown was carried out by a combined team of NIPOST officials, officers from the Force Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department (FCIID), Alagbon Ikoyi as well as armed mobile policemen and the media.
During the raid, which lasted for hours, some unregistered and unlicensed operators of courier and logistics services were arrested and handed over to the FCIID for prosecution proceedings, which commenced the same day of the Lagos clampdown. Read more
Passengers stranded as Warri-bound train derails in Kogi (Leadership)
Hundreds of passengers were on Sunday, stranded as a Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) passenger train derailed in Ajaokuta Kogi State.
This is coming barely one week after some passengers were abducted from a train station in Igueben, Edo State.
The same train plying the Warri-Itakpe route derailed forcing many of the passengers to be stranded but with no casualty of passengers injured.
According to sources in the train, the incident happened inside Kogi forest, as many of the passengers were said to have abandoned the train for fear of being taken hostage. Read more
Nigerians ready for PDP govt, tired of APC –Okowa (Sun)
Vice–Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said the general acceptance of the party across the country is an indication that Nigerians were truly tired of the inept All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
Speaking to journalists, on Sunday, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, shortly after inspecting preparations at the facility, venue of the presidential rally in the state on Tuesday, Okowa said that PDP would provide Nigerians with all-inclusive and purposeful leadership that the country yearns for.
He said that the warm reception and support PDP had across the country showed that Nigerians had become optimistic about the need for positive change, adding that the party was determined to rescue the nation and deliver good governance to the people.
He said that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, being an experienced politician knew the path to Nigeria’s recovery and would work with him and other citizens to recover, reset and rebuild the country. Read more
Lady Gaga calls Taylor Swift ”really brave” for speaking about her eating disorder in 2020 doc (People)
Lady Gaga is singing her praises for Taylor Swift’s vulnerability.
Last week, the “Rain on Me” singer, 36, reacted to a TikTok featuring a resurfaced video of Swift, 33, talking about her eating disorder.
The clip, which is from Swift’s 2020 documentary Miss Americana, saw her opening up for the first time publicly about her experience with the illness and how there is always pressure to meet “some standard of beauty.”
In response, Gaga commented, “That’s really brave everything you said wow.” The video, which was shared by a fan account for the Midnights crooner, was captioned: “This scene always breaks my heart.” Read more
Drake teases new music, brings out Dipset, 21 Savage in debut at New York City’s historic Apollo Theater (TorontoStar)
Drake is entering the new year with gratitude. His way of showing it is just slightly different from the average person.
The Canadian rapper returned to the stage Saturday night for the first time in years, making his debut at the Apollo Theater — and thanking everyone who got him there.
The concert was a victory lap for Drake, who looked entirely in his element as he banged out hits and teased the possibility of new music.
He crafted the show to create vignettes that reflect his beginnings acting in “Degrassi” and writing rhymes in his bedroom; his rise in the face of record label rejection; and his influences and collaborators, many of whom he brought to the historic venue in Harlem. Read more
Tron 3 moving forward with Jared Leto (THR)
After years of stops and starts, Tron 3 is moving forward at Disney. Jared Leto, who has championed the project since 2017, will star in the feature, with frequent Disney collaborator Joachim Ronning in talks to direct. The film, titled Tron: Ares, has a script from Jesse Wigutow and will follow 2010’s Tron: Legacy.
Disney released the original Tron in 1982, with Jeff Bridges starring as video game designer Kevin Flynn, who is transported inside his own creation and teams up with Tron, a security program played by Bruce Boxleitner. The film was not considered a box office success, earning $33 million (around $100 million today), but it was admired for its groundbreaking visual effects and remained in the public consciousness for years to come, eventually spawning a sequel, Tron: Legacy.
That second film, from Joseph Kosinski, starred Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde, and earned $400 million, not enough to get a planned sequel with Kosinski and his stars off the ground. After years of development, Disney officially scrapped a Kosinski sequel in 2015, and since then there have been various attempts to crack Tron 3. Most recently, Lion filmmaker Garth Davis boarded in 2020, but that iteration did not move forward. Read more
Avatar: The Way of Water crosses $2b mark in worldwide box office (CNN)
As has frequently been the case throughout his unparalleled career, James Cameron made film history again this weekend.
His long-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water has now made over $2 billion in worldwide grosses, as reported by Deadline.
That grand total is after the film’s box office take from this weekend, the sixth consecutive weekend the film has occupied the No. 1 spot since its release in December.
CNN has reached out to Avatar: The Way of Water producing studio Disney for comment on the film’s latest financial achievement. Read more
Thousands gather for first post-Roe March for Life (BBC)
Thousands of anti-abortion activists gathered in Washington DC on Friday for the annual March for Life.
The rally – held every January since 1973 when Roe v Wade guaranteed abortion access nationwide – was the first since Roe was overturned in June.
The crowd spread across the National Mall, celebrating the Supreme Court’s decision after decades of activism.
A small counter protest numbering dozens of pro-choice activists also gathered at the Supreme Court. Read more
Run-DMC to play final concert as part of new documentary: ‘‘Run-DMC is Over’’ (HipHopDX)
Run-DMC has announced their final concert which will coincide with a new documentary.
In a recent interview with Rock the Bells, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels revealed the iconic group will be closing the curtain on live performances with their last ever show at New York’s Madison Square Garden this spring.
“Run-DMC is over,” he said. “The only way Run-DMC gets back together is if The Beatles get back together. Can that happen?”
“The final show that we are ever going to do is going to be at Madison Square Garden in April,” DMC continued. “It’s going to be the last episode of the documentary we’re doing. Run-DMC’s last show ever. ‘Cause it’s time for Run to go be Paul McCartney and me to be John Lennon. We did what we could do.” Read more
Germany would not block Poland sending tanks to Ukraine: Minister (AlJazeera)
Germany is ready to authorise Poland to send German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine to help Kyiv fight the Russian invasion if Warsaw makes such a request, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Sunday.
“If we are asked the question, then we will not stand in the way,” Baerbock told LCI television on Sunday after a Franco-German summit meeting in Paris.
“We know how important these tanks are and this is why we are discussing this now with our partners. We need to make sure people’s lives are saved and Ukraine’s territory liberated.”
The comments appeared to signal that Berlin was ready to authorise European countries to deliver German-made tanks to Ukraine amid growing pressure from Kyiv and other allies for such a move. Under a German license agreement, countries cannot send tanks without Berlin’s approval. Read more
Frank Lampard sacked as Everton manager after defeat at West Ham (DailyMail)
Frank Lampard has been sacked as Everton manager with the club languishing in 19th place in the Premier League and having lost eight of their last nine games in all competitions.
The former England midfielder was dismissed after Saturday’s dismal 2-0 defeat against West Ham.
The result leaves Everton two points adrift of safety and with just 15 points from 20 league games this season.
Lampard spoke with owner Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright over the weekend, along with director of football Kevin Thelwell, and had accepted things will change after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at West Ham. Read more
Arsenal fans arrested in Uganda after celebrating Manchester United victory (BBC)
At least eight Arsenal fans have been arrested in the Ugandan city of Jinja after celebrating the club’s win against Manchester United in the English Premier League.
The fans were wearing the club’s red jersey and carrying a symbolic trophy.
Police said they didn’t have a permit to hold the procession which is a public order offence.
Arsenal scored a dramatic last-minute goal to win 3-2 in Sunday’s match against a fierce rival. Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr debut brings plenty of tricks but no goals as his latest adventure begins (ESPN)
Cristiano Ronaldo’s new chapter began with a win, but not a goal, as Saudi Arabia showed off the most expensive athlete in history for the first time.
Al Nassr beat Ettifaq 1-0 to go top of the Saudi Pro League, but Sunday night at Mrsool Park was about nothing else beyond the Portuguese striker who has signed up to earn $200 million a year for the next two-and-a-half years. Aaron Judge’s new nine-year, $360 million contract with the New York Yankees — a recent megadeal in American sports — doesn’t even come close, and even though Ronaldo didn’t manage to find the net in his first official appearance, his new club, the league and the country will feel he’s already value for money.
Shortly before kick-off against Ettifaq, Al Nassr’s official Twitter account posted: “The world is watching.” That might not have been the case considering this game was up against a top-of-the-table clash in the Premier League between Arsenal and Manchester United, but there can be no denying the impact Ronaldo has already had. Suddenly everyone knows Al Nassr and their yellow and blue shirts. Read more
Madrid triumph in Bilbao, Barca scrape past Getafe (France24)
Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos’s goals kept Real Madrid on Barcelona’s tail in La Liga with a 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
After the Catalans had beaten Getafe 1-0, champions Madrid won a tight clash at the San Mames to remain three points behind their rivals.
Benzema broke the deadlock with a superb volley in the first half while Kroos fizzed home the second late on to kill off Athletic’s hopes.
After losing the Spanish Super Cup to Barcelona last weekend, anxiety had increased in the capital, but a stirring Copa del Rey comeback against Villarreal on Thursday settled nerves.
Aryna Sabalenka powers into Quarter-finals for the 1st time after crushing Belinda Bencic (Eurosport)
Aryna Sabalenka is through to the Australian Open quarter-finals after a 7-5 6-2 win over Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic.
Sabalenka’s first serve and forehand were firing well, hitting 32 winners compared to Bencic’s 14, as she continues her impressive record of not dropping a set in the eight matches she has played this year.
The No. 5 seed will play either Donna Vekic or Linda Fruhvirtova in the last eight.
“I’m super happy with the win today,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. Read more
Jon Rahm continues tear, wins PGA Tour’s American Express (ABC)
Jon Rahm took advantage of mistakes by rookie Davis Thompson over the adventuresome final three holes and closed with a 4-under 68 to win the American Express by 1 stroke on Sunday, his second PGA Tour win in as many starts this year.
The Spanish star pumped his right fist and flashed a look of relief after tapping in for a two-putt par on No. 18.
He and Thompson were tied with three holes to play when Thompson, who led through 36 holes and shared the lead with Rahm going into Sunday, pulled his drive into a deep fairway bunker on the par-5 16th and wound up with par. Rahm made birdie to take the lead.
On the par-3 17th, Thompson chose to leave the pin in for his 50-foot birdie putt on the island green, and the ball squarely hit the pin and rolled away. The 23-year-old from Georgia dropped his putter and put his hands to his face. As he walked to the 18th tee after tapping in for par, he pulled his shirt up over his mouth in frustration. Read more