Don’t vote old, retired, expired candidates — Pastor Enenche tells Nigerians (Vanguard)
Less than 50 days to the 2023 presidential election, Senior Pastor of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, DIGC, Dr Pastor Paul Enenche, has urged voters across Nigeria not to vote for candidates who are aged, unhealthy and unfit to competently lead the country right.
Enenche, while speaking to his congregants about the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, during the church’s January 2023 combined service, at Glory Dome, weekend, in Abuja, equally advised Nigerians to vote for a candidate with “mental clarity, sharpness, precision, vitality and accuracy of presentation.”
While urging his members to ensure the collection of their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, in order to vote during the election, he told them to neglect candidates with Jihadists intentions, those who are bagages of affliction, and more so, those who are not able to explain the source of their wealth.
His words: “If you have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is very clear. The Bible says in the mouth of two or three witnesses, the truth shall be established. So, we should look physically that best bears witness to our spirit. Read more
Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson debunks cancer speculations (Guardian)
Veteran Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson has debunked rumours of having cancer , expressing gratitude to fans for their calls and prayers over the worrisome news.
The renowned actress, who took to her Instagram page on Sunday in a video clip to clarify the rumours of her having cancer, said she only spoke of having cancer scare, which doctors felt was something serious.
According to her, she is doing well and does not have cancer but she was only misunderstood with her explanation in her first video clip on ‘Mercy’s Menu’.
She stressed that she only had problems with her thyroid but perfectly okay and does not have cancer. Read more
Niger police trailing Catholic priest’s killers, says spokesman (Punch)
The Niger State Police Command said it had deployed a reinforcement team to track down the suspected killers of a Catholic priest, Very Rev. Fr. Issac Achi, of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, in the Paikoro Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.
This is contained in a statement on Sunday issued by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Wasiu Abiodun.
Bandits had invaded the parish residence of Rev Achi on Sunday, burnt the residence, with the priest inside.
“Unfortunately, the bandits reportedly attempted to gain entrance into the residence, but seemed difficult and set the house ablaze, while the said Rev. Father was burned to death. Read more
NDLEA busts another Tramadol cartel, seizes over N5b opioids (Nation)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the weekend busted another Tramadol cartel and seized millions of the opioids pills and bottles worth over N5 billion from their warehouse in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said two drug kingpins were also arrested.
Babafemi said the anti-narcotics officers of the Agency also uncovered and dismantled a clandestine skuchies laboratory in a remote part of Sagamu, Ogun state where several equipment and various quantities of illicit substances used to mass produce the dangerous new psychoactive substance were recovered on Saturday 14th January 2023.
The statement reads: “The drug cartels took the first heat on Tuesday 10th January from determined officers of the Agency who intercepted an imported consignment of Loud, a strong variant of cannabis, weighing 4, 878.72 kilograms along Awolowo road Ikoyi, Lagos. After a near fatal encounter with some suspected fake security agents escorting the drugs, the NDLEA operatives succeeded in recovering the consignment with a white truck marked BDG 548 XX conveying it. Read more
2023: Lagos, LASEMA boss tasks staff on team work (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Government and the state Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, have tasked the agency’s staff with teamwork in the year 2023 to ensure more efficient disaster management, and service delivery in the state.
The Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and Permanent Secretary LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who gave the charge at the agency’s annual retreat for staff at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, also charged members of the public to cooperate more with the agency during emergencies for seamless operations.
The theme of the two days retreat was “New approaches to emerging issues in disaster management.”
Muri-Okunola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mrs Sunkanmi Oyegbola, commended LASEMA staff for their diligence in reducing the fatality rate during emergencies with a call on them to work harder in the new year. Read more
Edo Train Attack: Police rescue another 12 kidnapped victims (Tribune)
The Police Command in Edo State, said a joint security force in the state has rescued another 12 victims of the train attack that took place in Igueben Train Station.
This was contained in an e-signed statement issued by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Dankwara, and made available to newsmen on Sunday, January 15, 2023 in Benin City.
CP Dankwara, added that the joint security forces, acting on technical intelligence provided to the command on the kidnapped victims, stormed a forest named Igboa and rescued the twelve victims unhurt. Read more
7 PDP supporters dead, 32 others injured in Plateau auto crash (Channels)
Seven supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State have died in a road accident in the Mangu Local Government Area of the state.
32 others were injured in the auto crash that happened on Saturday night.
It was gathered that the victims were returning from the party flag-off and zonal rally held at Pankshin when the truck conveying them crashed on a slope between Pushit and Panyam Bridge.
The injured victims are receiving treatment in some hospitals in Nangu and Jos. Read more
Sagay to Emefiele: It’s barbaric to force cashless policy on Nigerians (Independent)
Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) on Sunday came down hard on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele for trying to force the cashless policy on Nigerians.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Sagay who backed the calls for the extension of the January 31 withdrawal date of the old notes said most Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are still dispensing the old notes while the new ones are not fully in circulation.
Describing Emefiele’s action as brutish, uncivilised and barbaric, Sagay warned that the policy can create an economic disaster for Nigeria if not urgently addressed.
He said “I think the whole thing (cashless policy) is a disaster. I don’t like people trying to show off that they are very modern. You are introducing cashless policy bla la bla, you want to be like America. In America, they are still using cash. I was there this year. I used cash on many occasions”. Read more
Shakira puts witch doll facing ex Gerard Pique’s mother’s house sparking family feud (Mirror)
Shakira has reportedly sparked a family feud after displaying a witch mannequin facing her ex mother-in-law’s house.
Gerard Pique’s mother Montserrat Bernabeu has reportedly noticed a black witch on a broomstick mounted on the terrace of Shakira’s house in Barcelona, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.
Bernabeu reportedly asked one of Shakira’s staff to turn the witch around so it wouldn’t face towards her house, which is on the same street, according to Spanish show ‘Mas Vale Tarde’.
Spanish journalist Marc Leirado Millan hinted the feud had been going on for weeks and tweeted: “Weeks ago, I got some information that Pique’s mother was worried about an alleged ritual that was done to her with a black witch. Read more
Details on Ben Affleck’s Dunkin Donuts deal surface after he was spotted working in the drive-thru (CinemaBlend)
Batman and Robin. Biscuits and gravy. Hammer and nails. Ben Affleck and Dunkin’ Donuts. What does this seemingly arbitrary list of paired things have in common? These are items that are synonyms with one another, and it would be hard to imagine them not being paired together. Many of us have seen the infamous Affleck memes showcasing a tired Ben carrying an order from Dunkin’ and countless paparazzi images of the man just going about his day, trying to enjoy his favourite beverage. Well, after the Daredevil actor was spotted working and serving his wife JLo from one of the donut and coffee chain’s drive-thru, it was reported he had turned his love for the brand into a very lucrative deal. Well, the collaboration’s details have surfaced, and they’re substantial.
An inside source reported to ET Online that the Phantoms superstar allegedly signed a deal with Dunkin’ for “several million dollars,” which will include a donation to the Eastern Congo Initiative. It’s an American nonprofit organization that the actor and politician Whitney Williams established in 2010. The organization provides development grants and international advocacy for community-building initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ben Affleck’s recent appearance at the drive-thru is rumored to be for a television spot set to air during this year’s Super Bowl. That is probably why JLo was spotted making an appearance. Read more
The National tease new album with Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift (FarOut)
The National have teased two new singles from a forthcoming album, with huge hints that it will include collaborations with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens.
The indie-icons posted a short clip on their Twitter account featuring 25 seconds of new music with frontman Matt Berninger sitting at his piano. At the end of the short video, he turns around, holding up a copy of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein.
Earlier this week, The National gave the pot a stir with initial teasers sent out to members of their Cherry Tree fan club. On Reddit, a mysterious account posted a photo of a cutout face with a “Hello, my name is Paul” sticker on the head. On the back was the date “Friday 13th” and the cryptic words “Tranquilize the Mind”.
Another Redditor later posted to say they had received the same cutout image, but theirs was labelled “Evil Forebodings”. On Friday, The National added fuel to the fire by sharing a link via Twitter with the name of their new website and the letters “lp9”. Read more
Prince William Visits Charity Promoting Therapy For Teens After Prince Harry’s Book Says His Brother Was ‘Insensitive’ About His Panic Attacks (SheFinds)
Prince William and Kate Middleton made their first public outing since the release of Prince Harry’s autobiography Spare. They visited the Open Door Charity to hear how teens are prioritizing their mental well-being in various ways. The Princess of Wales said during the visit that it’s vital to have a “range of therapies” as different ones work for different people. This is after Prince Harry’s book revealed that William made fun of him for his anxiety in the past.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Open Door Charity on Thursday, January 12 to learn how the organization uses creativity to inspire and engage young people with mental health issues. They met with four teenagers from the charity’s Oomoo program, which offers well-being activities such as music lessons, dance classes, and film nights. After their chat, Kate said of the teens, “That was amazing. They’re so inspiring.”
Mental health among the young and old has been a core principle of the Prince and Princess’s public work for many years. It’s also one of the main areas of focus of the couple’s Royal Foundation, which is a charity organisation that Prince William and Prince Harry set up in 2009. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Royal Foundation in June 2019. The Royal Foundation’s Heads Together campaign was created with the mission to tackle the stigma of mental health and provide resources for afflicted individuals. Read more
Sixteen Candles actor Paul Dooley reveals real-life family trauma (PageSix)
Despite playing lovable dads on-screen in films like Sixteen Candles and Runaway Bride, Paul Dooley recently revealed he spent years estranged from his real-life children.
In the recently released memoir, “Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On Screen and Off,” the actor, 94, claims he suddenly lost contact with his daughter Robin and son Adam.
At the time, Dooley had divorced the children’s mom — his second wife, whose name he does not reveal — and would see Adam and Robin on a “regular basis,” including one month every summer.
However, Dooley claims they disappeared after a “great summer” together and alleges that he found a letter in his mailbox from his ex-wife that read, “I’m leaving. I’m taking the kids. We’re not coming back.” Read more
Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel crowned Miss Universe 2022 (People)
A new Miss Universe has been crowned!
Miss USAR’Bonney Gabriel was officially named Miss Universe 2022 on Saturday evening after a grueling competition at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in Louisiana.
Gabriel, 28, beat out runner-up Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel and second runner-up Miss Dominican Republic Andreína Martínez for the coveted prize. Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu presented Gabriel with her crown as she passed on the title of Miss Universe to her successor.
The fashion designer, model and sewing instructor from Texas is the first Miss USA to win Miss Universe in 10 years. The last Miss USA to take home the crown was Olivia Culpo in 2012. Read more
Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu government (CTV)
Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government to overhaul the legal system and weaken the Supreme Court — a step that critics say will destroy the country’s democratic system of checks and balances.
The protest presented an early challenge to Netanyahu and his ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has ordered police to take tough action if protesters block roads or display Palestinian flags.
Israeli media, citing police, said the crowd at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square had swelled to 80,000 people by 9 p.m. despite cool, rainy weather. Protesters, many covered by umbrellas, held Israeli flags and signs saying “Criminal Government,” “The End of Democracy” and other slogans. There were no immediate reports of unrest.
Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has made overhauling the country’s legal system a centrepiece of his agenda. Read more
Okowa emerges president of Africa athletics region 2 in Ghana (Guardian)
The President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa, yesterday, emerged the new president of Africa Athletics Region 2 at an election held in Accra, Ghana.
Okowa, who is the chairman of Delta Sports Commission, beat Vierin DeGon of Benin Republic 9-6 in a second round of voting.
In the first round, both candidates pulled six votes each. With his election as President of Africa Athletics Region 2, Okowa is now the vice president of the Confederations of Africa Athletics (CAA).
Two other Nigerians, Omatseye Nesiama, and Maria Wophill, who were earlier reported to be in the race for Auditor and Council member respectively did not contest in yesterday’s election. Read more
Bosso to submit Flying Eagles final squad January 25 (Sun)
Coach Ladan Bosso will now have more time before he submits his final 21-man squad for the U20 AFCON in Egypt after officials informed SCORENigeria the deadline is now January 25.
Earlier reports were that CAF expect all 12 finalists for the U20 AFCON to submit their final squads on January 20.
However, team official said the NFF secretariat has said the deadline is now January 25.
This new date will allow several foreign-based call-ups to come in to be considered for places on the party to Egypt. Read more
Mykhaylo Mudryk reveals reason for choosing Chelsea as Blues confirm signing of Arsenal target (Football365)
Chelsea have completed the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, the Premier League club have announced.
The Ukraine international has signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal, with the Blues paying Shakhtar a reported £62million – possibly rising to £88m.
The 22-year-old was in attendance for Chelsea’s game against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
“I’m so happy to sign for Chelsea,” Mudryk told the club’s website. Read more
Immobile blow but Lazio see off Sassuolo to keep in Euro chase (RFI)
Lazio recovered from the early exit of injured captain Ciro Immobile to post a 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Sunday to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Mattia Zaccagni opened before the break by converting a penalty awarded after Sassuolo defender Jeremy Toljan handled the ball off a corner.
Felipe Anderson added a second deep into injury time with Lazio, in fifth, moving three points behind third-placed Juventus and Inter Milan, who are level on points, and four adrift of champions AC Milan.
Maurizio Sarri’s side took advantage of second-placed AC Milan’s 2-2 draw at Lecce, with Juventus on Friday crushed 5-1 by Napoli, who are top of the standings with a healthy nine-point advantage. Read more
Sam Stosur announces Australian Open will be her farewell to tennis (Guardian)
Sam Stosur’s revelation that the Australian Open will be her farewell to tennis has swiftly prompted a deluge of tears and tributes from within the sport.
Her home grand slam is set to give one of the much-loved greats of the domestic game an emotional send-off following her declaration that her 21st year at the Australian Open, in the two doubles events, will be her last before retirement.
The 38-year-old, winner of the 2011 US Open singles, said on Saturday she was “looking forward to getting on the court one last time in front of my amazing fans, who are the reason I go out there and play the sport I love, and enjoying this wonderful ride one last time.”
Her news prompted effusive tributes, particularly from the Australian women players she’s helped work with, guide and inspire over the years, headed by the lovely words of her friend, former coach and doubles partner Rennae Stubbs. Read more
Hero Cup: Continental Europe beat Great Britain and Ireland to win inaugural tournament (BBC)
Continental Europe claimed victory in the inaugural Hero Cup after extending their lead over Great Britain and Ireland to four points on Sunday.
Tommy Fleetwood’s Great Britain and Ireland side trailed by two points heading into the final day at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
But Europe won six of the final 10 singles matches to triumph 14½-10½.
Poland’s Adrian Meronk holed the decisive putt in his one up victory over Englishman Callum Shinkwin. Read more