CBN raises interest rate to 27.50% (Vanguard)
The Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, has raised the monetary policy rate to 27.50 per cent, from 27.25 per cent.
This is the sixth time the CBN has raised the interest rate since February 2024. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed this at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja this afternoon.
Cardoso said the MPC voted unanimously to raise the MPR by 25 basis points from 27.25% to 27.50%; and retain the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 50% for Deposit Money Banks and 16% for Merchant Banks. Read more
Tinubu to depart on state visit to France Wednesday (Tribune)
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Wednesday for a state visit to France, following an invitation from President Emmanuel Macron.
A statement issued on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, explained that the three-day visit will focus on strengthening political, economic, and cultural relations, as well as establishing more opportunities for partnerships, particularly in agriculture, security, education, health, youth engagement and employment, innovation, and energy transition. The visit promises significant benefits for Nigeria.
The statement also noted that President Tinubu and his wife, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, will be received on Thursday at the 350-year-old French military museum, Les Invalides, and Palais de l’Élysée by Macron and his spouse, Brigitte, for the initial ceremonies, which will then lead into bilateral meetings. Read more
Again, Yahaya Bello submits self to EFCC (ThisDay)
Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has submitted himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the state.
It would be the second time the immediate past governor would be at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency over corruption related cases.
The Commission has filed two separate charges against Bello at the Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) both in Abuja. Read more
DJ Cuppy speaks on qualities of her dream man (Leadership)
Nigerian disc jockey, Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, popularly called DJ Cuppy, has revealed the qualities she looks forward to see in a man of her dream.
DJ Cuppy, who is a daughter of billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, disclosed this on her Instagram story on Tuesday with a picture of her making a crying face.
“I’m looking for a man in finance, six foot, brown eyes,” she wrote. Read more
Police arrest suspects over alleged forgery of Presidency, Ganduje documents (NewTelegraph)
The operatives of the Inspector General of Police-Special Investigation Unit have arrested 4 suspects in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, forgery of official documents, job racketeering, impersonation, and obtaining money under false pretences.
A statement signed on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the development followed a complaint by the office of the Special Assistant to the President accusing the suspects of forging documents “resembling one emanating from the office of the National Chairman, All Progressive Congress and another document with semblance to one from the State House Abuja”.
He identified those arrested as Khuzaifa Tafida ‘Zakari Abdullahi, Abdullahi Baba, and Adeyemo Morufu. Read more
Tinubu commends NNPCL on revitalisation of Port Harcourt Refinery (VON)
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu has commended the leadership of the National Petroleum Company Limited Group (NNPCL) on the successful revitalisation of Port Harcourt Refinery, directing the company to promptly work on the scheduled reactivation of the second Port Harcourt refinery as well as the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
President Tinubu gave the commendation on Tuesday in a statement issued by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The President said such revitalisation efforts will significantly enhance domestic production capacity alongside the contributions of privately-owned refineries and make Nigeria a major energy hub, with the gas sector attracting unprecedented attention from the administration. Read more
Ebonyi gov suspends health, housing commissioners (Punch)
The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma and his Housing and Urban Development counterpart, Francis Ori.
Our correspondent gathered they were suspended on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, which was sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday morning, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.” Read more
Reps ask Tinubu to sack CCT chairman Umar (Nation)
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 26, asked the President to sack Danladi Umar, the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), for misconduct.
The House resolution at plenary agreed with the position earlier taken by the Senate on the matter.
Acting on the provisions of paragraph 17 (3), PT 1, Fifth Schedule to the Constitution (as amended) and section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 LFN, the Senate recently passed a resolution asking the President to remove Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Read more
Jennifer Lopez ditches her signature bubble bath manicure for the black cherry nail trend (MarieClaire)
Jennifer Lopez rarely strays from her signature glam: glossy nude lips, sun-kissed skin, caramel highlights, and bubble bath nails. It’s a look she’s refined over the course of many years and it continues to serve her well. When she does experiment with winter nail color trends, though, it always feels like a little treat intended specifically for me.
For a Sunday brunch event meant to promote her new movie, Unstoppable, the star branched out from her usual milk pink manicure with trendy black cherry tips that were filed into a squared-off shape. The hue broke up her otherwise all-black ensemble, which was comprised of a Patou trench coat and micro-mini skirt accessorized with thigh-high boots.
Her shade also tapped into the season’s top color trend: burgundy. Read more
Brazilian beauty influencer dies at 28 after being swept away in heavy flood (People)
Brazilian beauty influencer Jhei Soares died in a flash flood at age 28 on Sunday, Nov. 24.
CNN Brazil reported that the social media star — whose real name is Jenniffer Soares Martins — was with her husband as she was caught in a flood in the Minas Gerais area of Brazil. In a video shared by the New York Post, Soares and her spouse, Wallison Lima, leaned on each other beside their car as someone attempted to rescue them with an extended ladder.
The State Civil Defense Coordination issued a statement acquired by CNN Brazil, which explains that the content creator exited her vehicle amid the storm. The couple attempted to shield themselves with the body of the car as those attempting to help with the ladder seemingly tried to advise them on how to escape. Read more
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’ projected to be biggest hip-hop streaming debut of 2024 (VIBE)
Kendrick Lamar’s new album, GNX, is on track to become the most-streamed Hip-Hop album of 2024, with projections estimating an opening week total of 350-400 million streams, reports Top Of The Charts.
This feat would mark the highest first-week streams for a Hip-Hop album in over a year, surpassing the 514 million streams that Drake’s For All the Dogs achieved in 2023.
Released on Friday (Nov. 22), GNX has quickly dominated streaming platforms, with all 12 tracks charting on Apple Music and Spotify. Read more
5 more have been rescued after tourist yacht sank in Egypt’s Red Sea (AfricaNews)
Egyptian naval forces rescued five people Tuesday and recovered four bodies, a day after a tourist yacht carrying 44 passengers sank in the Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam, officials said, after facing rough weather.
This brings the total to 33 survivors while seven remain missing.
Sea Story, a live-aboard used mainly for maritime activities, sent a distress signal after a large wave crashed into the boat, causing it to capsize, according to survivors’ accounts. Some passengers were inside the cabins when the boat overturned within minutes, according to statements. Read more
Israel hits 20 sites in Beirut within 2 minutes, in major offensive ahead of truce (TimesofIsrael)
Israel launched a wave of simultaneous airstrikes Tuesday afternoon on 20 Hezbollah targets in the terror group’s Dahiyeh stronghold in southern Beirut, shortly before the security cabinet was set to convene and approve a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Additionally, the Israel Defense Forces said that for the first time in 24 years, its soldiers had reached a portion of the Litani River, where it runs relatively close to the border.
After issuing an unusually broad evacuation warning for 20 buildings in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, a Hezbollah stronghold, the IDF said that within two minutes, it had struck all 20 sites. Read more
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson confirms live action ‘Moana’ shirtless look is actually a body suit (JustJared)
Photos of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on the set of the live action Moana movie were leaked last week, and his physique was on display!
If you don’t know, the 52-year-old actor will reprise his role as demigod Maui for the film franchise. Since Maui is mostly shirtless in the animated version of the films, it appeared as if The Rock would be shirtless for the live action film as well.
When the set photos were seen, many noted how buff The Rock looked. Well, he confirmed he was actually wearing a suit to achieve that look. You can see photos on X! Read more
Exiled Belarusian opposition leader has a message for the world: Stand up to dictators (CBC)
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is in Canada this telling anyone who will listen that democratic countries must be united in their opposition to dictators.
By dictators, she is referring to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, whose government imprisoned her husband and drove her into exile, and Lukashenko’s close ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Tsikhanouskaya challenged Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election, a role she took over from her husband, Syarhei Tsikhanouski, who was arrested days after he announced his candidacy. Read more
Adenekan Wins 63rd First Bank Lagos Open Golf Tournament (DailyTrust)
Hameed Adenekan emerged winner of the 63rd edition of the annual First Bank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship which came to a thrilling end at the Golf Section of Ikoyi Club 1938 on Sunday, November 24.
To come top in the keenly contested competition, Adenekan grossed a score of 225 to beat his closest rival, Akeem Lawal by two shots.
Adenekan’s journey to fame started with an opening level par 71, a second day score of 72 and a closing 82 to emerge winner. Read more
Plumptre Thrilled To Make Super Falcons Squad For France Friendly (Completesports)
Ashleigh Plumptre is delighted to be included in Super Falcons’ squad for the friendly against the Les Bleues of France.
The Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia defender is among the 20 players named in the squad released by interim head coach, Justine Madugu on Sunday.
Plumptre is making her comeback to the team after a long-term injury layoff that forced her to miss the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Read more
Paul Pogba blackmail trial set to open in Paris (France24)
Six men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba go on trial Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding the player at gunpoint.
The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world — all the more so because the alleged perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother Mathias.
Tuesday’s trial comes on top of professional woes for Pogba, whose career has struggled since France’s spectacular 2018 World Cup win when he scored against Croatia in the Moscow final. Read more
Verstappen wins title as Russell triumphs in Vegas (BBC)
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship with fifth place in the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The race was won by Mercedes’ George Russell, who held off a charge by team-mate Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time champion taking second place from 10th on the grid.
Verstappen’s position behind the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc was more than enough for the Dutchman.
His title rival Lando Norris could manage only sixth for McLaren, his deficit to the Dutchman now 63 points with a maximum of 60 available. Read more
Mbappe takes reins for Real Madrid in Liverpool clash (Channels)
With Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior injured for the Champions League clash at Liverpool on Wednesday, superstar summer signing Kylian Mbappe will become their key attacking weapon.
The France captain has endured a tough start to life in the Spanish capital, on and off the pitch, but found the net for the first time in five matches at Leganes on Sunday in La Liga.
Mbappe was started on the left wing in his favoured role by coach Carlo Ancelotti for the first time and rewarded the Italian by opening the scoring at Butarque. Read more
Man United transfer news: Red Devils ‘earmark Serie A star’ as Alphonso Davies alternative (SportsMole)
Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez as an alternative to Alphonso Davies.
The Red Devils have been linked heavily with a January move for a left-back in recent times, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes also of interest to the 20-time English champions.Hernandez has made a productive start to the league term for AC Milan, scoring two goals and providing two assists across 10 Serie A matches. Read more