CNG vehicle safety: Presidency speaks amid Malaysia’s phase-out plans (Vanguard)
The Malaysian government’s plan to phase out natural gas-powered vehicles by July 2025 has sparked strong reactions in Nigeria, especially as the country continues to advocate for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a safer and more affordable alternative to petrol.
Vanguard earlier reported that Malaysia’s transport minister, Loke Siew Fook, announced several measures aimed at phasing out the use of CNG for vehicles and CNG-powered vehicles, citing safety concerns.
Loke said CNG (NGV in Malaysia)-powered vehicles can no longer be registered to be used in Malaysia from July 1, 2025. Read more
Full details of 10 national grid collapse experienced in 2024 (NewTelegraph)
Nigeria’s national electricity grid experienced its 10th collapse in 2024 on Thursday, November 7 following severe collapses within a month.
This constant development has brought to the fore the ongoing issues in the country’s power infrastructure.
The National Grid Agency announced the most recent disturbance through an update on its official X account on Thursday. Read more
Subsidy: Nigeria undergoing disruptive reset – Soludo (DailyTrust)
Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, says Nigeria is undergoing a fundamental and disruptive reset with the removal of subsidy by the current administration.
Soludo stated this on Thursday while delivering the 13th Convocation lecture of Veritas University, Abuja, tagged, “Let Us Make A New Deal for Nigeria”.
He said: “Hopefully, we have ended the debilitating scam called fuel subsidy as well as the forex and electricity subsidies. We have entered a muddling-through phase which we must navigate carefully. Read more
Burnt LASTMA official hospitalised as Lagos hunts driver (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has launched a manhunt for the yet-to-be-identified driver who set an officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on fire in the Mile 2 area of the state on Tuesday.
PUNCH Metro reported that LASTMA operatives had accosted the driver for violating traffic regulations but he resisted arrest.
The LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, who confirmed the incident in a statement noted that in an attempt to evade arrest, the driver poured petrol on his vehicle and some of the LASTMA officers who had stopped him, set the bus on fire and fled the scene. Read more
AGE Lagos 2025: Africa’s Gaming Industry prepares for groundbreaking expo in Lagos (ThisDay)
In February 2025, Lagos will host the highly anticipated Africa Gaming Expo (AGE), a landmark event continually transforming the landscape of gaming, fintech, and allied industries across the continent. The 2025 edition promises an immersive experience, offering an exclusive look into emerging technologies, strategies, and future directions for these high-growth sectors.
Bringing together industry leaders from gaming, fintech, and banking, AGE Lagos positions as a crucial platform for exploring the innovations and insights driving Africa’s digital economy. And just like last year, attendees will gain access to cutting-edge advancements offering valuable knowledge for businesses and stakeholders in these intersecting fields. The expo will also highlight the transformative role of technology in shaping the gaming ecosystem across Africa, from eSports to online sport betting, and emerging digital platforms. Read more
Lagbaja: Defence ministers, service chiefs pay condolence visit, sign register (Nation)
The Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, and his State counterpart, Bello Matawalle, on Thursday, led service chiefs to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the death of Lagbaja was announced by President Bola Tinubu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.
Lagbaja, who was the 23rd COAS, passed on at the age of 56 after a brief illness. Read more
Navy arrests suspects with stolen crude oil worth ₦32m in Akwa Ibom (Channels)
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, FOB, Ibaka has arrested three suspected oil thieves carrying a boat containing crude oil worth N32 million in Akwa Ibom State.
The Commanding Officer of the Base, Captain Uche Aneke, disclosed this while handing over the suspects and seized items to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Akwa Ibom Command on Thursday at Ibaka.
Aneke said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday, at about 09:05 am following an intelligence report about the activities of suspected criminals involved in crude oil theft within the Navy’s area of operations. Read more
Nigeria’s youngest female lawmaker says parliamentary training is essential (Leadership)
Nigeria’s youngest female lawmaker, Hon Rukayat Shittu, representing Owode Onire constituency at the Kwara State House of Assembly has traveled to France for the Organisation of Parliamentary Work programme.
According to Shittu, the programme is being jointly organised by the French Senate and National Assembly and coordinated by Campus France.
She said the programme will offer young lawmakers and other parliamentary workers a unique platform to engage in high-level parliamentary training and knowledge exchange. Read more
Billie Eilish and more voice fears over Donald Trump’s stance on women’s rights after election win (NME)
Various figures from the entertainment world have voiced their fears over Donald Trump‘s stance on women’s rights following his victory in the 2024 presidential election.
The Republican nominee and former POTUS has earned 279 electoral college votes, beating out Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’ 223 electoral college votes, securing his return to the White House (via BBC News).
Trump’s win will make him the first ex-President to go back to the role in more than 130 years and saw him make history as the oldest man elected to America’s highest office at the age of 78. Read more
Dr Paul Stephenson: Civil rights campaigner and leading figure of Bristol Bus Boycott dies (Sky)
British civil rights campaigner Dr Paul Stephenson, best known for being one of the leaders of the successful Bristol Bus Boycott, has died aged 87.
Dr Stephenson helped to rally thousands of people for the 60-day boycott in 1963 after the Bristol Omnibus Company refused to hire black or Asian drivers.
The success of the boycott contributed significantly to the creation of the first Race Relations Act in parliament two years later.
Bruce Springsteen offers “a fighting prayer” for America during post-election concert (MusicNews)
Bruce Springsteen offered his fans “a fighting prayer” for America as he performed hours after Donald Trump was named U.S. president on Wednesday.
The “Born in the U.S.A.” singer, who had endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris for president, subtly referenced the election results when he opened his concert at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada on Wednesday.
He declared, “This is a fighting prayer for my country,” before launching into “Long Walk Home”, a song he rarely opens his shows with.
The track, which appears on his 2007 album Magic, contains the lyrics, “My father said, ‘Son, we’re lucky in this town/ It’s a beautiful place to be born/ It just wraps its arms around you/ Nobody crowds you, nobody goes it alone/ You know that flag flying over the courthouse/ Means certain things are set in stone/ Who we are, what we’ll do and what we won’t.’” Read more
Jennifer Lopez and Anthony Ramos Mattel animated movie ‘‘Bob The Builder’’ heading to Amazon MGM Studios (Screenrant)
A new “Bob the Builder” movie is now officially in development at Amazon. The classic show began in the late 1990s as a British television series featuring the titular fixer-upper. The original stop-motion animated series ran for 18 seasons and nearly 300 episodes, going off the air in 2012. Bob the Builder featured a leading voice cast including Rob Rackstraw, Kate Harbour, Neil Morrissey, Lorelei King, and Alan Marriott. Since the initial series, Bob the Builder has also gotten the CGI animated treatment in a reboot show, and the special Bob the Builder: Mega Machines.
Per Deadline, a new “Bob the Builder” animated feature film will now be officially developed at Amazon MGM Studios. The studio has reportedly won an intense bidding war that also included Netflix and DreamWorks. The Mattel project will now be produced by Jennifer Lopez’s company Nuyorican Pictures and ShadowMachine. The lead role will be voiced by Anthony Ramos. At this time, Lopez is not in talks to voice act for the film. Read more
Ryan Reynolds teases he’s writing a new non-Marvel movie for him and Hugh Jackman (Standard)
Ryan Reynolds has revealed he is actively taking steps to reunite with Hugh Jackman and director Shawn Levy following the success of Deadpool and Wolverine.
The Canadian actor and writer, 48, is going to put pen to paper next year in the hopes of writing a new movie he can co-star in with Jackman, 56, and for Levy, 56, to direct.
“I’m spending the year writing,” he told US publication Variety. “I’m writing a movie for myself, Hugh and Shawn to do that is not Marvel.” Read more
Well Go acquires Tony Jaa action film ‘‘Striking Rescue’’ for North America (THR)
Well Go USA has snatched up North American distribution rights to the Chinese action movie “Striking Rescue”, starring Thai martial arts hero Tony Jaa. The film is produced by Chinese streamer Youku, which is releasing the film to its subscribers in China on Friday. It will be the first film from Youku to get a U.S. theatrical release. The project is a first step in Youku’s planned expansion into theatrical film production for international markets.
Directed by Cheng Siyi, the action revenge movie follows An Bai (Jaa), a veteran Muay Thai expert who goes on a take-no-prisoners mission of revenge after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered by mysterious forces. The film co-stars Chinese actors Hong Junjia and Shi Yanneng. Read more
Germany’s coalition collapses dramatically. Scholz plans to lead with a minority government
(WashingtonTimes)
Germany’s government coalition has collapsed in dramatic fashion after Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the pro-business Free Democrats in a late-night move following a marathon of crisis meetings.
The three remaining ministers of the Free Democrats resigned in response, leading to the downfall of the government coalition. Scholz is expected to lead the country with a minority government, but the opposition is calling for an immediate no-confidence vote.
But early Thursday, Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the Free Democrats unexpectedly took back last night’s resignation and told reporters that after talking to Scholz, he had decided to stay on as minister and leave the party instead. Read more
Udoh weeps over missing U-17 World Cup gold medal (Punch)
Nigeria defender Kingsley Udoh is crestfallen over the loss of his FIFA U-17 World Cup gold medal, which he said could have helped him overcome his current despondent situation.
The 33-year-old was a key member of the Golden Eaglets that won the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea, from where he gladly returned with the gold medal that was kept by his late father.
Speaking on Brila FM on Wednesday, Udoh, who represented Nigeria at all levels of international football, said he hasn’t seen the medal since his father’s passing, adding that he can neither feed himself nor cater for incidental needs, including pursuing a coaching course. Read more
Kylian Mbappe dropped by France as “one-off decision” made amid Real Madrid fury (Mirror)
Kylian Mbappe will get no reprieve from his Real Madrid nightmare after being DROPPED by France for their upcoming Nations League matches.
Les Bleus’ captain wasn’t included in the last round of internationals either, with boss Didier Deschamps scoffing at claims the Spanish club are influencing decisions made by international coaches and Mbappe facing criticism for supposedly turning his back on his country.
Deschamps insisted then that he had been left out due to injury – despite playing 90 minutes for Madrid in the match immediately before France’s October matches. He said: “Mbappe was not fit against Villarreal. There was no request. The decision is mine. He played the Villarreal game without being 100 percent fit.” Read more
England squad confirmed as three stars dropped but Cole Palmer called up by Lee Carsley (Express)
England interim boss Lee Carsley has named the final Three Lions squad of his tenure before Thomas Tuchel succeeds him at the start of next year. The former Everton midfielder has brought in four fresh faces following October’s Nations League squad selection, with three players dropping out.
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo misses out through injury, as does Manchester City defender John Stones. Meanwhile, Nick Pope is replaced by former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
The shot-stopper’s Southampton team-mate Taylor Harwood-Bellis is a surprise inclusion, while fellow defender Lewis Hall is also handed his first call-up after starring for Newcastle in recent weeks. Curtis Jones has made the squad as well after impressing for Liverpool. Read more
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz in different groups for ATP Finals (ESPN)
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz were placed in different groups for the ATP Finals in Thursday’s draw. The earliest they could meet is the semifinals.
The Ilie Nastase Group features Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
The John Newcombe Group features Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev. The groups are named for the first No. 1s in the ATP rankings. Read more
New Zealand’s McKenzie and Aumua to start against Ireland (RFI)
Damian McKenzie and Asafo Aumua will start for New Zealand in their showdown against Ireland on Friday in the only two, injury-enforced, changes to the run-on 15 that edged England.
McKenzie replaces fly-half Beauden Barrett and Aumua comes in for hooker Codie Taylor after the pair suffered head injuries and had to leave the field during last weekend’s thrilling 24-22 win at Twickenham.
Both Barrett and Taylor are undergoing a mandatory 12-day standdown period after failing head injury assessments. Read more
Rory McIlroy tips Donald Trump and Elon Musk to resolve PGA Tour and LIV Golf row (Express)
Rory McIlroy has suggested that the backing of both Donald Trump and Elon Musk could aid the PGA Tour in finalising their official agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).
The PGA Tour and PIF have been negotiating since last June to resolve a long-standing dispute with LIV Golf.
Earlier this week, Trump, a Republican candidate and avid golfer, claimed he could facilitate a peace deal between the two parties within 15 minutes.”I think it’ll come together. Yeah, I could certainly help, but I could probably get it done. I would say it would take me the better part of 15 minutes to get that deal done,” Trump stated on the ‘Let’s Go!’ podcast. Read more
