IGP orders restriction of vehicular movement on Saturday (Tribune)
The inspector-General of Police (IGP) has ordered the restriction of vehicular movement during the governorship and house of assembly elections on Saturday.
This is contained in a statement signed Thursday by the force’s spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi.
The restriction will take effect from 12 am to 6 pm.
“Sequel to the forthcoming Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled to hold on the 18th of march, 2023, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, CFR, has ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day in all states where elections will be conducted with the exception of those on essential services such as INEC Officials, Electoral Observers, Accredited Media and Observers, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, etc. Read more
I’ve no godfather, only mentors – Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Vanguard)
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, on Thursday, disclosed that his ambition to occupy the state governorship seat is not backed by any godfather.
The LP candidate is reacting to a claim by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, that he was being endorsed by godfathers such as the PDP chieftain, Chief Bode George.
Jandor was quoted to have said on Tuesday that Rhodes-Vivour was being endorsed by godfathers such as the PDP chieftain, Chief Bode George. Read more
Iranian girls detained for dancing to Rema’s song publicly (DailyTrust)
Some Iranian teens have landed into trouble for posting videos of themselves dancing to Rema’s song, ‘Calm Down’. It was gathered that the girls who were detained were pressured into apologising for their action.
In a tweet from Shahrak Ekbatan, the five girls were first warned after which they were recalled and detained for two days before being compelled to make a coerced confession.
According to Fox News, Security forces started looking for the five girls soon after the video, which was filmed near Ekbatan, west of Tehran, gained traction online. Moreso, in the video, the ladies weren’t wearing headgears, which are required for women in Iran, as the video was shared on International Women’s Day. Read more
Rhodes-Vivour has every right to contest but Sanwo-Olu will win – Oba of Lagos (Guardian)
Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu on Thursday commended the Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, for coming out to contest because he has every right to do so.
However, the monarch empathically said that his support is for Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who he projects to win the election on Saturday, March 18.
Speaking during the visit of the LP candidate to the monarch’s palace, Akiolu, who prayed for Rhodes-Vivour and wish him well in his future endeavours, maintained that there was nothing wrong with Rhodes-Vivour vying. Read more
Lagos NURTW backs Sanwo-Olu’s re-election (Independent)
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Chapter, has backed the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying the governor deserves coming back following his giant strides in the development of the state.
The state chapter of the transport union gave the endorsement during a press conference on Thursday where they noted that there had been a peaceful coexistence between the state government and the Lagos State Chapter of NURTW, also explaining that Governor Sanwo-Olu’s time as the Lagos State chief executive had witnessed tremendous development in all areas, particularly noting the infrastructural strides of the present administration in the state.
Comrade Rafiu Akanni Olohunwa, former chairman of the Union in Lagos who is now at the national body said during the press briefing that they are solidly behind Governor Sanwo Olu and his re-election bid. Read more
Amotekun operatives arrest 2 suspected criminals with a gun in Osun (Channels)
The Operatives of Osun Amotekun Corps have arrested two suspected criminals terrorizing the residents of modakeke and its environment with a dane double barrel gun in Modakeke, Osun State.
The duo of Segun Ajayi, 27 years old, and Sunday Adedoja, 37 years old were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday after a complaint has been lodged at Amotekun Modakeke command on the activities of the culprits and the operatives swung into action and the suspects were later arrested.
Confirming the arrest to the newsmen in Osogbo, the Amotekun Field Commander, Capt. B.O. Akanni (Rtd), described the arrested culprits as miscreants terrorizing the residents of Modakeke. Read more
DSS secures order to detain NNPP supporters till elections are over (DailyTrust)
The Department of State Security Service (DSS) has secured a Court order to detain arrested supporters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) till Saturday’s elections are over.
A Kano Magistrate’s Court presided over by Aminu Gabari granted the order on the reasons for continued investigation.
The secret Police had earlier sought for three weeks an order to detain the suspects but did not succeed. Read more
Boko Haram: Zulum donates 6 surveillance vehicles to troops, civilian JTF (Guardian)
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno State on Thursday donated six surveillance vehicles to troops and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) fighting Boko Haram in Izge community in Gwoza Local Government area of the state.
Zulum, who made the donation during a working visit to the town said that the vehicles would enhance security around the community.
He said that the vehicles include three for the military and three for volunteers, made up of the CJTF, hunters and vigilantes fighting alongside the military. Read more
Naomi Campbell called out for ‘‘worst Photoshop ever’’ in Oscars post (PageSix)
Naomi Campbell is facing backlash for posting a series of seemingly heavily-edited photos from the 2023 Oscars.
Although the supermodel stunned at the Vanity Fair afterparty in a hip-hugging, cream-colored gown, fans were quick to notice the photos she uploaded to Instagram were very different from the raw images taken on the red carpet.
“#VF #oscars .. thank you to my team on this last minute dash to #LA,” Campbell, 52, captioned a carousel of photos from the night, with one specific image standing out. Read more
Dreamworks’ ‘‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken’’ set for summer release (THR)
Universal Pictures is set to release DreamWorks Animation’s new original movie, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken”, in theaters on June 30.
Oscar nominee Kirk De Micco directed the film along with Faryn Pearl as co-director. The ensemble voice cast includes Lana Condor in the titular role, Toni Collette as her overprotective mother and Jane Fonda as Ruby’s commanding grandmother, in addition to Colman Domingo, Annie Murphy, Sam Richardson and Blue Chapman.
DiMicco was Oscar-nominated for DreamWorks Animation’s The Croods and most recently helmed Vivo, the animated Lin Manuel-Miranda musical, for Netflix. And Jane Fonda is returning to animation after voicing a lead role in last year’s Luck for Skydance Animation. Read more
Final Stephen Sondheim musical ‘‘Here We Are’’ to make off Broadway world premiere this fall with Joe Mantello directing (Deadline)
Stephen Sondheim’s final, long-awaited musical Here We Are will make its world premiere this September in a strictly limited Off Broadway engagement to be directed by two-time Tony winner Joe Mantello.
Formerly known as Square One, the final musical composed by Sondheim before his death in 2021 will be staged at The Shed, the Manhattan arts center that opened in 2019.
Additional information including specific production dates and casting will be announced soon. Producer Tom Kirdahy made the premiere announcement today. Read more
Vanessa Hudgens returns for ‘‘Bad Boys 4’’ with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence (Deadline)
Vanessa Hudgens is set to reprise her role as weapons expert Kelly in Bad Boys 4 with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
Smith and Lawrence revealed earlier this year that they’re reteaming for a fourth Bad Boys movie, which is in pre-production at Sony Pictures with Bad Boys for Life‘s directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah returning to helm from a script by Chris Bremner.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but we hear the film will start filming within the next few months. Read more
Whoopi Goldberg apologizes for using a slur on The View (CBS)
Whoopi Goldberg has apologized for using a word considered an ethnic slur on Wednesday’s episode of ABC’s “The View.”
During a conversation on the broadcast discussing former President Donald Trump, Goldberg remarked that some of his supporters believe “he got ‘gy—-d’ somehow in the election” — a term for cheating that perpetuates a negative stereotype about the Romani people.
Goldberg said she was sorry in a video posted after the show. Read more
Jim Gordon, Wrecking Crew drummer heard on Derek and the Dominos’ ‘‘Layla,’’ dies at 71 (TheWrap)
Jim Gordon, one of the most in-demand session drummers of the 1960s and 70s whose beats were heard on dozens of recordings including Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” and the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” album, has died. He was 71.
In 1983, Gordon suffered a psychiatric event and killed his mother with a hammer and a knife. He was diagnosed schizophrenic but was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison and never attended a parole hearing, as his mental condition never improved. He died in a prison medical facility in Vacaville, California.
Gordon began drumming professionally in the Los Angeles area as a teen, backing the Everly Brothers as early as 1963. He was the understudy of Hal Baine, original drummer for the Los Angeles session aces known as the Wrecking Crew, and eventually became the informal group’s first-call drummer. Read more
Biden administration demands TikTok’s Chinese owners spin off their share or face US ban (CNN)
The Biden administration has threatened to ban TikTok from the United States unless the app’s Chinese owners agree to spin off their share of the social media platform, TikTok acknowledged Wednesday evening.
The apparent ultimatum by a US multiagency panel known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) marks a possible turning point in the long-running negotiations between federal officials concerned about TikTok’s links to China and a wildly popular social media company with more than 100 million US users.
The recent divestiture request was first reported Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal; TikTok later confirmed to CNN that CFIUS had contacted the company, adding that it did not dispute the Journal’s report. But TikTok declined to discuss specifics of the US government’s request, including details around its timing. Read more
Osimhen’s stunning form for Napoli celebrated on Italian city’s tram system (Guardian)
Victor Osimhen’s face has been painted all over an intra-city tram in Naples, Italy as seen in a video which has gone viral on social media in the aftermath of his goal-scoring heroics at Napoli this season.
Osimhen has been in devastating form for Napoli this term with his Champions League brace against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night taking his tally to 23 goals in 28 games during the 2022/23 campaign.
Victor Osimhen’s face painted all over a bus in Napoli, Italy.
He has 23 goals, 5 assists in 28 games for them this season. He helped them qualify for their first ever UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals. Read more
Finidi tips NPFL stars for Eagles, Guinea Bissau clash (Punch)
Super Eagles assistant coach, Finidi George, has expressed hope in Nigeria Professional Football League players to make the cut for the squad for the double-header 2023 AFCON qualifier against Guinea Bissau on March 24 and 27, The PUNCH reports.
Players and officials of the team are expected to resume in Abuja next week to begin preparation for the games, even as coach Jose Peseiro is yet to drop his list of players.
While Nigerians are, however, waiting for the names of the players that would prosecute the game, Finidi, who is also the coach of eight-time NPFL champions, Enyimba, says the league has players that are good enough to be part of the team. Read more
Christian Pulisic: Berhalter-Reyna post-World Cup feud was ‘‘childish’ (ESPN)
United States forward Christian Pulisic told ESPN the team does not need to make wholesale changes as it looks for a new head coach and said the controversy surrounding Gregg Berhalter and the Reyna family has been “extremely childish.”
Berhalter has been allowed to remain as a candidate for the vacant U.S. men’s national team job following an independent investigation by the U.S. Soccer Federation, which found that both Berhalter and his wife, Rosalind, accurately portrayed the nature of a 1992 domestic incident.
Pulisic said Berhalter has been “extremely unfortunate” to no longer be the U.S. head coach after his contract was not renewed after the 2022 World Cup. Read more
Xavier Simons: Hull City sign Chelsea midfielder on 3-year deal (BBC)
Hull City have signed Chelsea midfielder Xavier Simons on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, making his loan spell a permanent move.
The 20-year-old joined the Tigers on a season-long basis in September, and has so far made seven appearances for the Championship club.
Simons, who was born in Hammersmith and came through the Chelsea academy, made one senior appearance for the Blues. Read more
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to miss F1’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix media duties due to stomach illness (Sky)
Max Verstappen has cancelled his media commitments at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix because of a stomach illness.
The double world champion, who dominated Formula 1’s season-opening race in Bahrain a fortnight ago, said he has been battling with the bug this week.
However, he expects to be in his Red Bull for practice in Jeddah on Friday.
“Feeling fine again, after not being fit for a few days because of a stomach bug,” wrote the Dutchman, 25, on Twitter. Read more
Arum praises Shakur Stevenson, tells him he will surpass Marvelous Marvin Hagler (BoxingScene)
Bob Arum has high—generationally high—hopes for Shakur Stevenson.
In a video segment recently published on the YouTube channel of Top Rank, Arum’s promotional company, the nonagenarian promoter is seen praising Stevenson, heralding him as
potentially an even greater fighter than one Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the middleweight champion Arum once promoted.
The 25-year-old Stevenson, a former titlist at 126 and 130, is preparing to make his lightweight debut against Japan’s Shuichiro Yoshino on April 8 at Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey. Read more