Corpse disappears from mortuary, Ogun hospital reviews CCTV (Punch)
A yet-to-be-identified female corpse slated for burial on Saturday has gone missing from the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State.
A hospital source said the drama started on Friday when the family of the deceased came to the hospital to take the body for burial only for them to discover that the corpse was no longer in the mortuary.
The source said the body, which was brought to the morgue in October 2022, could not be found among 69 other bodies shown to the family for verification.
PUNCH Metro also learnt that two attendants in charge of the morgue fled the premises. Read more
Nigerian arrested, another wanted in Canada over $500K airline ticket fraud (Vanguard)
Canadian Police have arrested one Nigerian and declared the other wanted for having fraudulently issued and sold 250 airline tickets to unsuspecting customers, valued at $500,000.
According to Canadian Police, between June and December of 2021, the suspects claimed they were working for travel agencies based out of the United Kingdom and accessed a secure online booking portal of a major European airline.
“It is alleged that these two individuals,Gbemisola Akinrinade, and Adebowale Adiatu, fraudulently sold valid flight tickets to unsuspecting customers and collected the payments to benefit themselves financially,” police said in release. Read more
Ekweremadu: 7-week jury trial begins on Tuesday (Guardian)
The “conspiracy to facilitate harvesting organ” trial of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, begins at the Central Criminal Court, a.k.a., The Old Bailey on Tuesday. It will last “seven weeks,” a staff member of the court confirmed to The Guardian on Friday.
Ekweremadu’s wife, Beatrice, their 25-year daughter, Sonia (for whom the parents wanted a donor kidney) and Dr. Obinna Obeta , will be tried with the former second topmost Senator of Nigeria for conspiring to harvest David Nwamini’s kidney. Although Sonia was not originally on the charge sheet , but in a bizarre twist of fate, the prosecution dragged her in and charged her in the second half of December.
Also last month , the Ekweremadus made a case for the “dismissal of the charges,” but after two days of legal wranglings, the pre-trial judge threw their application out and did likewise for the Senator’s bail application , leaning towards the Crown’s- government- argument that he remains a “flight risk,” and might abscond from the United Kingdom if granted bail. Read more
I won’t quit new marriage, woman who married daughter’s boyfriend vows (DailyTrust)
Malama Khadija, a Kano State woman who married her daughter’s boyfriend, has vowed that she will not reverse her decision because of what people are saying, noting that since she has not offended the Almighty God she is okay with whatever opinion people hold about her action.
City & Crime reports that the story of Khadija’s action has continued to generate controversy in Kano, as many people keep wondering whether it’s true, while others argue on the legitimacy of the marriage in Islam.
Recall that Khadija gave reason for quitting her initial marriage to marry her daughter’s boyfriend as an action that both she and her daughter didn’t lose the handsome man. Read more
LASG: Blue Line Rail will generate its own electricity (ThisDay)
Following the commissioning of the Lagos Blue Line rail by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Lagos State Commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotosho, has said the blue lines will generate its own electricity to power its rail transportation system.
He noted that it was the first of its kind in Africa, which has its own dedicated Independent Power Plant (IPP) with four power sources thereby eliminating the fear of power outage while on the train.
He however assured Nigerians that the cost to use this mode of transportation isn’t going to be exorbitant as transportation is not something that the government relies on to make huge revenue. Read more
X3M Ideas boosts literacy in Lagos with new reading hub (Leadership)
The Nigerian international creative agency, X3M Ideas has demonstrated its commitment to the reading culture among youths with the establishment of a reading hub for the students of Ilupeju Secondary School, Lagos.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the CEO, X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko, reiterated his commitment to changing the reading culture among young people.
He stated, “X3M Ideas will not waver in our effort to support Nigerian children, especially those in the public school system within our locality. Read more
NUEE General Secretary Ajaero set to take over NLC from Wabba (Nation)
Barring last minute change, the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Joe Ajaero, will replace Ayuba Wabba as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president.
Ajaero, a Deputy National President of NLC, is the only candidate for the position of president going into the February 7 and 8, 2023 delegates’ conference of Nigeria’s umbrella union next month.
The conference is expected to be capped with the election of national officers who will drive the affairs of the nation’s workers in the next four years. Read more
Ondo, Edo lead as Lassa fever cases rise (Punch)
The number of confirmed Lassa fever cases in Nigeria rose to 244 in the first three weeks of 2023.
The country also recorded 18 new deaths from the viral infection from January 16 to 22; bringing the total death toll to 37.
This is according to the Lassa fever situation report for week three obtained from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Sunday. Read more
Sarah Michelle Gellar admits one thing that annoyed her on Buffy set (Mirror)
Sarah Michelle Gellar has revealed the one part of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that she still finds the most annoying.
The 45-year-old actress made a very rare chat show appearance on the The Graham Norton Show on Friday where she spoke about the iconic teen show’s lasting impact.
The spooky series has been off air for almost 20 years with the final episode, chosen broadcast on May 20, back in 2003 on UPN.
When asked about when the show ended, Sarah sighed and said: “A week now people have been reminding me. But yes, 20 years.” Read more
Oscars body launches probe into voting following shock Best Actress nomination (National)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched a review of Oscars campaigning days after a small indie film surprised industry-watchers with a shock nomination to Hollywood’s most prestigious awards.
To Leslie had taken only $27,000 at the box office when star Andrea Riseborough’s name appeared on the shortlist of nominees for Best Actress.
Riseborough, who plays a single mother from Texas struggling with alcoholism, beat out presumed frontrunners Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till). Read more
Christina Ricci blasts Academy board amid review of Andrea Riseborough’s nomination (FilmNews)
Christina Ricci has slammed Academy officials amid a review of Andrea Riseborough’s nomination for her performance in the film To Leslie.
Last week, leaders at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that they would be conducting a “review of campaign procedures” in light of the English actress’s “surprise” nomination for Best Actress – though didn’t refer to her by name.
In response to the news, Christina took to Instagram to criticise Academy bosses.
“Seems hilarious that the ‘surprise nomination’ (meaning tons of money wasn’t spent to position this actress) of a legitimately brilliant performance is being met with an investigation,” she wrote. “So, it’s only the films and actors that can afford the campaigns that deserve recognition? Feels elitist and exclusive and, frankly, very backward to me.” Read more
Korea Box Office: The First Slam Dunk vies for top spot with Avatar: The Way of Water (Variety)
Avatar: The Way of Water enjoyed the highest box office takings in Korea over the weekend and reclaimed the top spot after falling to second place a week earlier. But the Japanese animation film The First Slam Dunk, now in its fourth weekend on release, was the most watched film of the frame and outscored the Hollywood fantasy in terms of ticket sales.
Avatar 2 earned $2.20 million in its eighth weekend of release. That gives it a cumulative score of $107 million, earned from 10.4 million admissions. Over the latest weekend it sold 187,000 tickets.
Local media in Korea rank films by admissions, rather than revenues, and show “Avatar 2” in third place behind both The First Slam Dunk and The Point Men. Read more
Rick Ross says he’ll never drive a Tesla because “the government could tap into the brain of the car” (NME)
Rick Ross has shared his skepticism on the technological benefits of smart cars, saying in a new video that he’ll never drive a Tesla because he believes it could autonomously drive him to a police station against his will.
In a clip shared last week by All Urban Central, Ross explained that while he’s not outright against the idea of one day owning a smart car, he’s never ridden inside a Tesla because he has “always had, in the back of [his] mind, [the idea that] the government could tap into the brain of the car”.
The rapper goes on to imagine a scenario where a police officer asks, “Where’s Rick?” before typing something on a keyboard and forcing his Tesla to reroute itself. When he’s challenged on his theory by someone offscreen, Ross quips back: “What, you think it can’t? That bitch self-drive[s]! They got pieces bringing you pieces, robot cars, tacos… so if you get in that [inaudible] it’s gonna lock the door and take you where it wanna go.” Read more
ChatGPT banned in WA public schools in time for start of school year (ABC)
An AI chatbot which can eloquently pump out essays, summaries, and short stories has been banned in Western Australia’s public schools ahead of the start of the school year.
WA is the latest Australian jurisdiction to ban ChatGPT, following New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania.
WA Education Department Director General Lisa Rodgers told ABC Radio Perth the website would be blocked via a firewall. Read more
A bus crashed, fell off a bridge and caught fire in Pakistan, killing 40 (NPR)
A passenger bus crashed into a pillar and fell off a bridge, catching fire and killing 40 people in southern Pakistan on Sunday, a government official said.
The bus was carrying 44 passengers from Quetta in Balochistan province to Karachi in neighboring Sindh province. The accident was near the town of Bela, in Lasbela district.
Hamza Anjum Nadeem, assistant commissioner in Bela, said the bodies of 40 people, including women and children, were recovered. Four injured passengers were rescued. Read more
Nigeria’s US-based junior athlete caught in doping scandal cries for help (Guardian)
Before he travelled to America on scholarship a few years ago, high jumper, David Aya, promised his auntie, who, despite her health challenges, was able to raise some money for the junior athlete to travel, that he would do ‘small jobs’ in America to raise money to support her.
Rather than keeping to his promise of studying and doing ‘some small jobs,’ Aya allegedly started doping and was caught.
“I am so concerned about my auntie, who gave me money to travel,” Aya said, while narrating his ordeal.
The world seems to have crashed on him after he tested positive to banned substances. He has been slapped with a four-year career ban, the scholarship he won to study in an American university has equally been suspended, and now, he is pleading with Nigerians to come to his aid to pay for legal services to reduce or quash the ban and resume his career and studies. Read more
Nasarawa Utd to play home games in Kaduna (Sun)
NPFL side, Nasarawa United have decided to play their remaining home games in Kaduna.
The Solid Miners will no longer play their Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL games at the New Jos Stadium following approval by the IMC for a change of venue to the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
No immediate reason was given for the relocation, but it may not be unconnected to a string of home defeats in Jos, Plateau State. Read more
Football Australia announce Graham Arnold will coach the Socceroos to the 2026 World Cup (DailyMail)
FIFA World Cup hero Graham Arnold will continue on as Socceroos coach after guiding the Australians out of the group stage for just the second time in the country’s history.
The Aussie manager has reportedly knocked back offers from clubs in Holland, Scotland and England along with a big-name Asian nation to stay with the Socceroos, according to News Corp.
However many Australian football fans are not impressed, calling the $6million, four-year deal a bad decision for the future of the Socceroos. Read more
PSG held as Balogun scores late leveller for Reims (BBC)
On-loan Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser for Reims against 10-man Paris St-Germain.
The result means PSG missed the opportunity to open up a five-point lead over Lens at the top of Ligue 1.
Neymar had opened the scoring for PSG who then had midfielder Marco Verratti sent off.
Balogun’s equaliser arrived in the 96th minute to extend Reims’ unbeaten run to 14 games in all competitions. Read more
Artur Beterbiev stops Anthony Yarde for 19th straight knockout (ABC)
Artur Beterbiev maintained his 100% knockout record as a professional by stopping Anthony Yarde in eight thrilling rounds to defend his three world light heavyweight titles Saturday.
Few things in sport are certainties, but Beterbiev has delivered a KO performance in each of his 19 professional fights over a decade now.
At 38, Beterbiev is perhaps in the form of his life after demolishing Joe Smith in a unification fight in June and then steadily dismantling Yarde, finishing his spirited challenge with a crunching right hand, at the OVO Arena in Wembley, England. Read more
Nico Hulkenberg on why F1 ‘‘disconnection’’ will be very positive for 2023 (PlanetF1)
Having spent three seasons out of Formula 1, new Haas man Nico Hulkenberg feels he is a better man for it.
When the drivers line up on the grid for 2023, few will have raced in as many grands prix as Hulkenberg has and yet, there is some rustiness he needs to shake off after a long time out of the sport.
The German was let go by Renault at the end of the 2019 season, appearing at fleeting intervals as a reserve driver for Racing Point and then Aston Martin, but other than that, Hulkenberg has been kept out of a Formula 1 seat. Read more