Court fixes ex-Lagos Speaker, Ikuforiji’s re-arraignment for Dec 11 (Punch)
The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 11 for the re-arraignment of a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and his aide, Oyebode Atoyebi.
Ikuforiji and Atoyebi are facing amended 54 counts of money laundering.
Justice Mohammed Liman fixed December 11, 2019, for their re-arraignment on Wednesday after the defence counsel, Mr Tunde Akinrinmisi, prayed for an adjournment. Read more
Female pastor in court for allegedly stealing 4-month-old baby (Guardian)
A 52-year-old old female pastor, Charity Okpara, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a four-month-old baby girl from her church member.
Okpara was arraigned on a four-count-charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful abduction and child trafficking.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Police Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde alleged that the defendant stole the four-month-old baby, Princess Oluchi, daughter of one Mrs Blessing Okon. Read more
Lagos policemen abducted me, extorted N185,000 via bank transfer –Fashion designer (Punch)
A fashion designer, Joseph Ejiro, has narrated how he was allegedly abducted by some policemen from the Festac Town Police Post and made to pay a ransom before he was released.
It was gathered that Ejiro, who had gone to make a delivery to his client in Festac, was accosted around the Second Rainbow junction on November 21 by one of the cops, who said his boss was waiting in a vehicle to see the fashion designer.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Ejiro alleged that he was pushed into the vehicle and beaten by the cops when he refused to give them his phone. Read more
Woman kills husband by squeezing manhood (Nation)
Men of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a middle-aged woman identified as Eki Ekhator for allegedly killing her husband by squeezing his manhood.
The incident was said to have happened at Ukhiri community in Ikpoba-Okha local government area.
Sources said the woman had a quarrel with her late husband after accusing him of infidelity.
She was said to have always had fracas with her husband any time he returned home late. Read more
British Airways flight heading to Abuja loses engine mid-air (Punch)
A British Airways flight heading to Abuja from London on Tuesday returned to Heathrow Airport after the plane lost one of its engines mid-air.
The airline confirmed that BA 083 flight returned to Heathrow and was met by the emergency services as a precaution measure after what it called “a minor technical issue.”
In a mail sent to THISDAY, the airline said, “For your information, the aircraft experienced a minor technical issue and our pilots elected to return to Heathrow. In terms of the emergency services meeting the aircraft, this is standard practice. Read more
‘Professor’ Imran Khan lampooned on social media after claiming trees release oxygen at night (RT)
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been accused of dabbling in dubious science after stating that trees pump out oxygen even when the sun isn’t out. The gaffe was immediately seized upon by quick-witted Twitter users.
As quoted by local media, while speaking about environmental issues on Tuesday, Khan declared that “trees produce oxygen when it is night,” immediately sparking ridicule on social media. To make matters worse, Khan had recently mocked a political rival, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, for making the obvious observation that flooding occurs from heavy rain.
According to Pakistani media, Khan hadn’t meant to make the factual error, but instead had simply misspoken. Read more
Woman survives as runaway truck flattens her car in South Africa (BBC)
A 26-year-old woman has suffered serious injuries after a runaway truck landed on her car in the South African city of Port Elizabeth.
The truck driver had parked the vehicle while he picked up his children from the Parsons Hill primary school, police said.
It rolled down the hill, smashing into the car from above.
The woman’s Opel Adam was virtually flattened, leaving her trapped inside for nearly 40 minutes. Read more
Iran has quashed ‘extensive & very dangerous conspiracy’ perpetrated by foreign enemies, Khamenei says (RT)
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has thanked his country’s people for creating a “magnificent movement” to counter protests against higher fuel costs, unrest which he blamed on a vast conspiracy.
Khamenei said that a “grave, extensive and very dangerous conspiracy” was responsible for “destruction, villainy, and murder in Iran,” but that the chaos had been “quashed” by the Iranian people.
“The people proved again that they are powerful and great, and defeated the big conspiracy of the enemy with their presence on the scene,” Khamenei said, according to a statement released on his official website. Read more
Russian cows get VR headsets ‘to reduce anxiety’ (BBC)
A Russian farm has given its dairy cows virtual reality headsets in a bid to reduce their anxiety.
The herd donned VR systems adapted for the “structural features of cow heads” and were shown a “unique summer field simulation program”.
Moscow’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food cited research which they say has shown a link between a cow’s emotional experience and its milk yield. Read more
Uproar online after actor dies on set of reality TV show (RT)
News of the death of a 35-year-old actor who collapsed on-set while competing in a Chinese reality show have prompted heated calls across social media for the production to be shut down.
Taiwanese-Canadian actor and model Godfrey Gao, 35, died early on Wednesday, after doctors failed to revive him following his collapse while filming ‘Chase Me’, a show in which two teams are pitted against one another in a series of daring physical feats. He had reportedly been running for hours on end as part of the show’s latest tasks, when he suddenly slowed and collapsed. Read more
Trump to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorists (BBC)
The US will legally designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups, President Donald Trump says.
The move would enable a wider scope of US action. Mr Trump also said he had told Mexico the US was ready to “go in and clear out” the cartels.
In response Mexico’s foreign minister said his country would not allow any “violation of national sovereignty”.
Earlier this month Mr Trump vowed to “wage war on the drug cartels” after a deadly attack on US citizens in Mexico. Read more
Two men planning terror attack with ‘bomb vests and car bombs’ arrested in Netherlands, police say (RT)
Dutch police have arrested two men suspected of planning to carry out a terrorist attack “before the end of the year” after a tip-off from intelligence services prompted an investigation.
In a statement on Tuesday, prosecutors said the two men from Zoetermeer, 20 and 34, wanted to use bomb vests and car bombs in the attack. It is not clear what the intended target was, Dutch media cites law enforcement.
The National Police Unit began a criminal investigation in early October after a warning from the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) said that the men were planning a jihadist attack. Read more
Islamists sentenced to death for 2016 cafe attack (BBC)
Seven Islamists have been sentenced to death for a 2016 attack on a cafe in the Bangladeshi capital in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were killed.
The attack on the Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka was carried out by a group of five men, who took diners hostage.
Eight people were on trial, accused of planning and supplying the attackers with weapons. One man was acquitted.
The 12-hour siege was Bangladesh’s deadliest terrorist attack. Most of the victims were Italian or Japanese. Read more
Chukwueze relishes strike against Celta Vigo (Nation)
SUPER Eagles mesmerizing winger, Samuel Chukwueze is delighted about his scoring form after netting in back-to-back matches for the first time in the on-going La Liga campaign.
The 20-year-old continued his fine form from the international break by scoring his side’s equalizer in Sunday’s 3-1 loss at home to Celta Vigo and now wants to get into more scoring positions to help better his team’s chances in future games.
“Obviously, it always a pleasure to get on the score sheet. After a good international break, I came back feeling refreshed and was happy to have scored against Celta Vigo but unfortunately, we were not lucky to get the desired points. Read more
Messi set for 700th Barca game (BBC)
Lionel Messi will become only the second player to make 700 Barcelona appearances if he features in Wednesday’s Champions League game with Borussia Dortmund.
The 32-year-old, who has scored 612 goals for the club, is behind Xavi’s appearance record of 767.
Barca and Dortmund know a win at the Nou Camp takes them into the last 16. Read more
Max Taylor: Manchester United teenager on his cancer, recovery & return to football (BBC)
‘This is serious, it could end my life’ Max Taylor on his battle with cancer
One name stands out in Manchester United’s squad for their Europa League trip to Astana on Thursday.
Defender Max Taylor has never played a first-team game for United. The local-born 19-year-old is another example of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s commitment to the club’s youth.
Yet for Taylor, it is the latest stage in a remarkable story of resilience and mental fortitude after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 2018. Read more
Manchester City to keep Guardiola for years to come, says chairman (Punch)
Manchester City wants to keep Pep Guardiola at the helm for many years to come, says the English champions chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Guardiola — who stayed for four seasons with Barcelona and three terms with Bayern Munich — took over at City in 2016 and is under contract till 2021.
The Spaniard — who has guided City to successive league titles and an unprecedented domestic treble last term — nipped speculation in the bud that he would leave at the end of this campaign by saying last week he wanted to stay longer. Read more
Rohr among world’s top 20 coaches, says IFFHS (Guardian)
Germany-based International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), the body responsible for researching and documenting football numbers, has ranked Super Eagles’ Manager, Gernot Rohr among the top 20 national team coaches in the world.
This year’s award was won by Fernando Santos, coach of Portugal national team, with whom he won the UEFA Nations League in June 2019, reports allnigeriasoccer.com.
Football experts and journalists from 90 countries of all continents in the world chose Fernando Santos to receive the 2019 Award and he received 112 points to place first. Read more
UEFA Champions League: Osimhen’s scoring form to trouble Ajax (Nation)
Troubled French side Lille OSC will hope Victor Osimhen will continue his terrific home scoring form against visiting Ajax at the Stade Pierre Mauroy tonight.
LOSC are out of contention in Group H now with just one point from four games but they will want to get a result in their last home game against leaders Ajax.
Christophe Galtier’s side currently in crisis with no win in their last four games and just one win in the last ten matches in all competitions and Les Dogues’ 2-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain last Friday extended their run without an away victory to 13 matches in all competitions (five draws and eight losses) and has picked up only two points from their six Ligue 1 away fixtures this season. Read more
Italy’s Barella undergoes successful knee surgery (Punch)
Inter Milan’s Italy international Nicolo Barella has undergone successful surgery on his right knee, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Midfielder Barella said he “felt the knee go click,” as he was forced off during Saturday’s 3-0 win under heavy rain at Torino.
“Barella this morning (underwent) keyhole surgery on his right knee to remove cartilage fragment from his kneecap,” Inter Milan said in a statement. Read more
Fayele, Odusanya hit quarter at Asoju Oba Cup (Nation)
Defending champions and top seeds David Fayele and Bose Odusanya continued their dominance in the men and women singles after qualifying to the quarterfinal stage at the 51st Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup holding at Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Southpaw Fayele will be facing his biggest test when he battles former national junior star Joseph Osendukwu in one of the quarterfinal matches on Wednesday November 27 while Odusanya was tested in the quarterfinal tie against Bose Akinsete. Read more