Gunmen invade Lagos community, kill businessmen (Punch)
Two businessmen have been reportedly shot dead by hoodlums who invaded Igbe-Lara community, in the Igbogbo-Bayeku Local Council Development Area of Lagos State on Sunday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that everyone was going about their daily activities when suddenly no fewer than 15 hoodlums, armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the Igbe-Lara bus stop and opened fire on the people.
Residents and business owners, whose shops were located in the area, were said to have scampered for safety.
However, while a yet-to-be-identified man dealing in the dog business was shot dead at the front of a leisure centre, Dre Bar, another businessman, Olanrewaju Omobolaji, aka Excel, was also gunned down in a pub, Garden Bar. Read more
Lagos holds Spelling Bee contest (Nation)
The annual Spelling Bee competition will hold next Monday and Tuesday in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, has said.
She told reporters in Ikeja that this year’s edition will be a milestone, saying the grand finale can be watched via live streaming on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and live transmission by the Lagos Television.
Seriki-Ayeni said the first day of the competition will be for primary school category, while the second day will be for secondary schools. Read more
Driver arrested for injuring LASTMA official with pestle (Punch)
A commercial bus driver, Fred Onwuche, has been arrested for allegedly injuring an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Kosoko Razak, with a pestle.
It was gathered that Onwuche, who drove a minibus with number plate, AAA 693 YC, was arrested by Razak around the Jakande area of the state for not using a seat belt.
PUNCH Metro learnt that an argument ensued between the duo, which led to Onwuche hitting the officer with a pestle on the head.
The General Manager of the agency, Olajide Oduyoye, who condemned the attack in a statement, noted that the suspect would be prosecuted. Read more
21 ships discharging petrol, other items at Lagos port – NPA (Vanguard)
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Wednesday said 21 ships were discharging petroleum products and foodstuff at the Lagos ports.
The NPA made this known in its publication, “Shipping Position”, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
It listed the contents of the ship as general cargo, bulk wheat, petrol, container, bulk maize, base oil, frozen fish, sugar, gasoline, automobile gasoline and wheat seed.
NPA said that other 15 ships had arrived the ports, waiting to berth with containers, bulk malt, bulk wheat and petrol. Read more
Buhari makes u-turn, ignores House’s summon on constitutional grounds (Thisday)
A day before his commitment to honour an invitation by the House of Representatives to address lawmakers on what his administration is doing to combat rising insecurity, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday walked back on his promise.
The presidency cited the constitution, which the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said does not confer the power to summon the president on the National Assembly, for Buhari’s change of mind. Read more
Osun EndSARS activists distance selves from fresh protest in Osogbo (Vanguard)
Co-conveners of the #EndSARS protest in Osun State have distanced themselves from another round of protest that broke out in the State on Monday, describing the development as self-serving, needless, unnecessary and capable of compromising the peace and progress of the State.
A group of youth led by one Emmanuel Adebayo had on Monday staged a protest to the State House of Assembly in Osogbo, demanding among others the disbandment of the State Panel of Inquiry against Police Brutality, over alleged non-inclusion of EndSARS activists in the panel.
But in a letter to the State Director of the Department of State Service (DSS), the EndSARS co-conveners dissociated themselves from the fresh protest, stressing that the promoter of the latest protest, Adebayo, was pursuing a different agenda personal to him and has nothing to do with Endsars agitations in Osun. Read mor
FG lied, we didn’t reach agreement to suspend strike Dec 9, says ASUU (Vanguard)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has denied that it reached an agreement with the federal government to suspend its ongoing strike on December 9, 2020.
The Union insisted that contrary to insinuation to that effect, there was never an understanding with the government that it would suspend the over 9 months old action on the said date.
President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi in a statement made available to newsmen Wednesday night, said ASUU representatives do not have the powers to suspend or call off industrial action but must follow due process which includes transmitting the outcome of negotiations to members and National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU for further deliberations and actions. Read more
NCC suspends sale, registration of new SIM cards (Thisday)
The Nigerian Communica-tions Commission (NCC) has directed mobile network operators to immediately suspend the sale and activation of new SIM cards to allow an audit of the Subscriber Registration Database.
The Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, in a statement yesterday, said it was necessary for operators to comply until the audit had been concluded.
According to him, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, has directed the commission to embark on an audit of the database.
He, however, said an exemption might be granted following approval from the federal government through the commission. Read more
Huge US lawsuits seek break up of Facebook (BBC)
Facebook, accusing the social media company of taking illegal actions to buy up rivals and stifle competition.
The lawsuits are one of the most significant legal actions the US government has taken against the firm.
Officials are asking the court to consider breaking up the company, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp.
Facebook has previously defended its actions. Read more
UK, EU agree to extend Brexit talks but remain ‘far apart’ after Brussels dinner (France24)
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Union’s chief executive gave themselves until Sunday for last-ditch negotiations on a post-Brexit trade deal after failing to narrow differences during a “frank discussion” over dinner in Brussels.
“Very large gaps remain between the two sides and it is still unclear whether these can be bridged,” a senior source in the British prime minister’s office said in a statement.
He said Johnson did not want to leave “any route to a possible deal untested”, and so he and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to further discussions over the next few days between their negotiating teams. Read more
World’s first patient to get Covid vaccine, 90, leaves hospital ‘feeling great’ (Metro)
A grandmother who became the first person in the world to have the Pfizer vaccine has been discharged from hospital after a ‘whirlwind’ day. Margaret Keenan, 90, made global headlines after she was given the coronavirus jab at University Hospital Coventry at 6.31am on Tuesday. She was seen smiling and holding hands with her grandson Conor and daughter Sue as she left the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. The retired jewellery store assistant had been admitted a few days early and said she felt ‘great’ upon being discharged. Read more
Coronavirus vaccine: China jab 86% effective, UAE says (BBC)
Chinese vaccine for Covid-19, saying it was 86% effective in a phase-three trial.
The vaccine, produced by China National Pharmaceutical Group, or Sinopharm, has been “officially registered”, the UAE state news agency reports.
The health ministry said “analysis shows no serious safety concerns”.
However, neither Sinopharm nor the UAE have released detailed data on the trial of 31,000 participants. Read more
Charlie Cox’s Daredevil ‘returning to MCU in Spider-Man 3’ amid multiverse rumors (Metro)
The Spider-Man 3 speculation just keeps coming as Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is now being added into the mix. The blind superhero is reportedly set to make a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Netflix lost the TV and movie rights to the character. According to Murphy’s Multiverse, Charlie will continue to play Matt Murdock in the new film. Read more
Canada latest country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (BBC)
Canada’s health regulator has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, the day after the UK became the first country in the world to roll it out.
Health Canada called the authorisation a “milestone” in the country’s fight against coronavirus.
The agency said the vaccine met its “stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements”.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is set to receive up to 249,000 doses of the vaccine this month. Read more
Gwyneth Paltrow admits working with ‘rough boss’ Harvey Weinstein pushed her away from acting (Metro)
Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about her decision to break away from acting and admits it was partly because of her ‘rough boss’ Harvey Weinstein. The Shakespeare In Love star has focused less on acting in recent years and more on her lifestyle brand Goop. Instead, Gwyneth has reprised her role as Pepper Potts only a handful of times in various Marvel movies such as Avengers: End Game and Spider-Man: Homecoming, while also starring in Netflix series The Politician last year. Read more
WAFU tourney: Flying Eagles on brink of exit after Ghana loss (Punch)
The Flying Eagles are on the brink of exit from the 2020 WAFU B U-20 Cup of Nations after they lost 1-0 to Ghana in a Group B clash at the Stade Charles de Gaulles, Porto Novo, Benin Republic on Wednesday, The PUNCH reports.
Ladan Bosso’s side needed an outright win to advance into the semi-finals but a brilliant free kick from Precious Boah in the 82nd minute sealed a nervy win for the Black Satelites in the West African Derby.
They had earlier been held to a 1-1 draw by Ivory Coast in their opening game on Sunday. Read more
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton’s health ‘improving’ but no decision yet on return (BBC)
Mercedes say Lewis Hamilton’s health is “improving” – but still do not know whether he will be able to race in the year’s final grand prix this weekend.
The world champion missed the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain last weekend after contracting coronavirus.
Hamilton remains in isolation and must return a negative test result before he is allowed to travel to Abu Dhabi.
“His condition’s improving but we won’t know closer to the time if he will be driving,” said team boss Toto Wolff. Read more
It’s time to deliver, says Success (Punch)
Isaac Success is keen to deliver on his potential when he returns from injury next month.
The Nigerian, 24, who has been out since he ruptured his achilles in an in-house friendly at Vicarage Road in June, joined the club in a £12.5m record signing in the summer of 2016 from Granada.
The forward, who is now back in light training, is eyeing a return to action in the New Year. He last played in the 3-2 home defeat to Everton and last scored in the FA Cup tie at Newcastle in January 2019.
“It’s been tough,” he said in an interview with Hive Live. Read more
PSG and Basaksehir players take knee around centre circle before tie restarts (BBC)
Paris St-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir players took a knee around the centre circle in an anti-racism message before the restart of their Champions League tie on Wednesday.
Neymar scored a hat-trick as PSG won the game 5-1 to top their group.
The match was abandoned on Tuesday at 0-0 after the fourth official was accused of using a racist term towards Basaksehir assistant Pierre Webo.
Both sets of players walked off the pitch, with the game delayed by a day.
It restarted with a Basaksehir free-kick in the 14th minute. Read more
William Saliba’s Arsenal future will be decided in the ‘next few weeks’, insists Mikel Arteta (Metro)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is not ruling out a loan move for William Saliba in the January transfer window. The Frenchman is yet to make his debut for the club following a £27million move from St Etienne. Saliba arrived with a promising reputation and given Arsenal’s defensive record, he was expected to become an instant regular at the Emirates. However, the defender has had to be patient as Arteta does not feel he’s ready to step into the first team and he’s been forced to play with the U23s. Read more
Salah breaks Liverpool scoring record in Midtjylland draw (BBC)
Mohamed Salah became Liverpool’s record Champions League goalscorer as the Reds completed their group-stage campaign with a draw at Midtjylland.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were already assured of top spot coming into the game and they began in perfect fashion as Egypt international Salah ran clear and poked home after just 55 seconds.
It was the quickest goal the team had scored in the Champions League and on a night of numerous records for the much-changed visitors, Salah’s strike was his 22nd in the competition, surpassing club legend Steven Gerrard.
Summer signing Diogo Jota forced Midtjylland goalkeeper Jesper Hansen into smart saves via a flicked effort and another drive from the angle, while Divock Origi side-footed wide from an unmarked position. Read more