Ikoyi Building Collapse: Body of Osibona, owner of collapsed building recovered (Vanguard)
A body believed to be the owner of the building, Femi Osibona has been recovered on Thursday.
A combined team of emergency responders recovered the body which has been taken to a morgue.
As gathered, the lifeless body of Osibona, was recovered Thursday, after painstaking efforts from emergency responders.
However, there were conflicting reports on when the body was actually recovered. While a report said the body was recovered early Thursday, another stated Thursday evening. As of press time, there was no official confirmation on the report. Read more
EFCC releases Obi Cubana after three-day grilling on money laundering, tax fraud (Punch)
Three days after he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged money laundering, socialite and businessman, Obinna Iyiegbu, aka Obi Cubana, has been released.
The Anambra-born club owner, who was arrested on Monday, was released on Thursday.
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed to our correspondent that Cubana has been released on administrative bail.
“He has been released,” Uwujaren simply said in a text message. Read more
4 killed as police, tricycle riders clash in Lagos (Guardian)
Four people were reportedly killed yesterday, in a clash between the police and tricycle riders in Abule-Egba area of Lagos State. The Guardian learnt that trouble started when an unidentified police officer allegedly stabbed a tricycle operator at Ile Iwe bus stop, Abule-Egba, Lagos, which led to a reprisal attack by the riders.
Eyewitness reports revealed that chaos began after a tricycle operator was killed for refusing to give a “N100 bribe” to an officer.
According to eyewitnesses, police officers during the clash allegedly shot three people including a 16-year-old apprentice, who was hit by a stray bullet.
He said: “An unidentified police officer allegedly stabbed a tricycle operator in the process, followed by a reprisal attack by the riders.” Read more
Greater Lagos Fiesta to stoke up activities for 31 days (Tribune)
In its effort to consolidate on the different creative niche markets that abound in the state to drive tourism traffic and revenue like never before, the Lagos State government has unveiled Greater Lagos Fiesta to stoke up activities of the state.
The 31-day festival tagged ‘Lagos Rocks’, will feature different trends and colours of the fast-growing entertainment, creative and tourism hub of Africa.
This year’s edition will kick off on December 1 with an opening ceremony at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.
The cycling competition will hold on December 5, while the photography and fashion contests will be held on December 7 and 10. Read more
Tanker accident claims 6 lives in Enugu (Independent)
A fatal accident that occurred at popular Nza Street, Independence Layout Enugu on Thursday night has claimed 6 lives while many others sustained injuries.
Our correspondent gathered that the accident occurred as a result of a fully-loaded tanker that crashed into a Keke loading spot killing 6 people on the spot.
An eye witnessed account told our correspondent that the tanker failed to brake and crashed into the Keke loading spot
“The accident occurred around 7 pm when the tanker driver failed to brake and killed 6 people while others were injured,” Read more
Finance ministry budgets N130.5b for ‘special’ interventions in 2022 (Leadership)
In a very curious manner, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning is planning to spend a whopping N130.458 billion on vague intervention programmes under the title of ‘service-wide votes’ in 2022.
The proposed budget estimates are captured under same or closely related items, raising questions about the credibility of the budgetary process supervised by the finance ministry.
A breakdown of the figures showed that, if approved by the National Assembly, the ministry will spend N60,917,999,949 [N60.9bn] on the “special intervention/capital exigencies” at the same time it is proposing to spend N10 billion on “special intervention programmes/projects”.
Apart from that, the ministry will spend N100 billion on “national poverty reduction with growth strategy (FGN commitment, including NSIP upscaling)-capital.” Read more
Group seeks Lagos govt’s intervention over alleged intimidation of landlords (Sun)
Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) has urged the Lagos State government to prevail on some persons using their closeness to top government officials to terrorise law-abiding landlords and residents of Ijegun/Ijedodo/Ijagemo axis with threats to demolish their houses and confiscate their lands.
It alleegd that the intimidation was being carried out on the false pretence and information that the Lagos State Government under the leadership ofGovernor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is abandoning the original master plan which certified those properties as legally acquired and out of the Right Of Way (ROW) of government for a new undisclosed one that urgently seeks to demolish their properties.
During a protest at Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, Executive Director of Human rights monitor, Buna Isak said findings of their organisation revealed that those pushing the plot – some of them in highly placed positions – were the real culprits who had gone to acquire lands and properties on the designated right of way, adjacent to the one in question,that the road infrastructure is meant to traverse in the original master plan.
Isak accused those intimidating the landlords of desperately seeking to upturn and divert the original plan in order to save their own skin and make innocent law-abiding citizens pay for their own brazen effrontery at law-breaking. Read more
Zamfara, Sokoto bandits occupy farms, harvest crops, residents lament hunger (Punch)
Bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto and parts of Kebbi and Katsina states have resorted to looting farms and shops following the shutdown of telecommunications networks in the areas.
Residents of local government areas affected by the shutdown said attacks by bandits had continued unabated despite the shutdown of telecommunications activities.
The government later extended the ban on telecoms services to parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states as part of efforts to stop killings and kidnapping by bandits.
According to them, bandits have blocked access to farms and started harvesting farmers’ crops for their personal consumption, thereby causing starvation in the affected communities. Read more
AFRIMA 2021 and the battle for ‘Artiste Of The Year’ (Tribune)
It is less than one month to the seventh edition of the much-anticipated All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) 2021, and votes from fans have long been stacking up for all 38 categories created to celebrate the best of African music. AFRIMA 2021 holds at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria from November 19-21 with live broadcast to 84 television stations in 109 countries.
Public voting is ongoing and ends on Saturday, November 20, 2021 on AFRIMA’s website. Tickets to the music festival coming up on Friday, November 19, and the award on Sunday, November 21 will be on sale on AFRIMA website from Sunday, October 31.
The ‘Artiste of the Year’ category is one juicy nomination that, like the midas touch, if wielded by any artiste has the power to turn almost every situation into gold. This year is quite interesting as it is not just a battle of the greats, but a battle that infuses some of the most prominent voices ever in Africa’s music scene. Past winners in the ‘Artiste of the Year’ category are Davido (Nigeria – 2014); Diamond Platnum (Tanzania – 2015); Wizkid (Nigeria – 2016); Wizkid (Nigeria -2017); Davido (Nigeria – 2018); and Burna Boy (Nigeria- 2019).
Take a look at some of the favourites for the ‘Artiste of the Year’ category because this year, it is a continental battle; Read more
Groups task Anambra voters (Sun)
Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) has tasked Anambra voters on peaceful conduct of election on saturday.
Leader of the group, Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, who stated this in a statement yesterday drummed supprt for the APGA candidate, Prof. Charles Soludo as best man for the job.
“After a careful consideration of the leading candidates, and placing the inevitable reshaping of the destiny of Ndigbo at this auspicious moment in history, as guide, it is clear that Charles Chukwuma Soludo, towers heads and shoulders above other candidates. He has the knowledge and experience, and total grasp of the issues, especially as concerns the Igbo question. He should be allowed and enabled to come in and correct the poor leadership currently tainting Anambra state.
“Moreover, I have every reason to believe that he thoroughly understands the urgency, importance and imperative of restructuring Nigeria and has advocated that publicly. Read more
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo cast as main roles in film adaptation of ‘Wicked’ (NME)
Ariana Grande is set to defy gravity in the forthcoming Universal film adaptation of the hugely successful Broadway musical Wicked, with the singer revealing she’s been cast as Glinda the Good Witch.
In a post on Instagram, Grande revealed her casting by sharing flowers and a message sent by co-star Cynthia Erivo, who is on board to play the musical’s main role of Elphaba.
“‘Pink Goes Good With Green’,” the message from Erivo read. “Congratulations Miss A, The Part Was Made For You, I Look Forward To Sharing This Musical Journey With You.”
Grande also sent Erivo a message and her own set of flowers, as the actress shared on her Instagram profile. Read more
Fans go wild as Macaulay Culkin becomes a Gucci runway model (LADBible)
Macaulay Culkin has added runway model to his CV after walking in Gucci’s fashion show on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Home Alone and American Horror Story star looked very suave as he strutted his stuff for Gucci’s Love Parade on Hollywood Boulevard this week.
Fans of the star went understandably wild over images of him being a runway model.
Vogue’s Alice Cary said about Culkin’s inclusion in the show: “The arrival of former child star Macaulay Culkin was something of a plot twist. Read more
Black Adam producer says fans will love his fight with Hawkman (CBR)
Meet the Justice Society of America. In Black Adam, the next DC Extended Universe installment, the titular antihero will go up against a superhero or two. Speaking to CBR about his upcoming film Red Notice, producer Hiram Garcia also teased what’s to come in Black Adam, including a showdown with Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman.
“I think we were looking for people that were able to tap into any of the elements we love about these characters,” Garcia told CBR when asked about Black Adam’s supporting cast. “Look, obviously, Dr. Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher, Quintessa [Swindell], they’re beloved, especially when you look at a Hawkman and Dr. Fate. These are some of the most favorite characters that fans have when it comes to the DC Universe.”
“So knowing our templates of how we saw the characters, we were looking for actors that could deliver on a wisdom and a poise that came with Hawkman and Dr. Fate, of elder statesmen that you’d have of the group,” he explained. “These are heroes that their characters have been around for a very long time. There’s a mythology that is 1000s of years old with them and knowledge and wisdom within those characters. So we were looking for actors who could bring that to the table, really display that, also set that tone and leadership…”
“Then, when it came to Atom Smasher and Cyclone, we wanted people that not only had complex backstories — because both of them have very interesting, complex backstories in terms of how they’re able to do what they do — but also brought a youth and exuberance to being a hero, kind of a mishmash of characters coming together in a fun way, where you had some OGs and you had some New Gs, if you want, to the group,” he added. Read more
Peru’s Congress confirms new moderate left Cabinet (Metro)
Peru’s Congress on Thursday confirmed a new moderate left Cabinet, three months into the administration of President Pedro Castillo, who’s first lineup of ministers crumbled amid political uncertainty and nationalization threats.
The new Cabinet is headed by Mirth Vasquez, a moderate left politician and former head of Congress who does not belong to Castillo’s party, the Marxist-Leninist Peru Libre.
The vote was 68-56, with one lawmaker abstaining.
The reshuffle is widely seen as more moderate than Socialist Castillo’s original lineup, under which Peru’s currency tumbled to record lows. But the move has also alienated some of Castillo’s most left-wing allies. Read more
US submarine commander fired after South China Sea crash (AlJazeera)
The US Navy has fired the commanding officer, executive officer and top enlisted sailor of a nuclear-powered submarine that crashed into an underwater mountain on October 2, saying the accident was preventable.
Commander Cameron Aljilani and two others were removed from their positions on Thursday following an investigation into the crash in the disputed South China Sea.
The USS Connecticut was forced to sail on the surface for a week to reach Guam.
“Sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident,” the western Pacific-based 7th Fleet said in a statement. Read more
Mark McGowan announces plan for Western Australia to reopen border at 90 per cent COVID-19 vaccination rate (ABC)
Premier Mark McGowan says Western Australia will open up its borders when 90 per cent of the state’s population aged above 12 years old is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Mr McGowan said this could be achieved in late January or early February.
A specific transition day to reopen to domestic and international travellers would be announced after an 80 per cent double dose vaccination rate was reached.
“This puts us in the best possible position to transition with minimal impact on our health, our economy, and our way of life,” Mr McGowan said. Read more
Piers Morgan and Christopher Biggins lead tributes for ‘extraordinary’ Lionel Blair as entertainer dies aged 92 (Metro)
Tributes have poured in for legendary entertainer Lionel Blair following his death at the age of 92.
Blair’s management announced that the Name That Tune presenter died on Thursday morning surrounded by his loved ones.
They said in a statement: ‘He got to a very ripe old age, he was loved by his family, and I think he died in their company, which is lovely.’
Piers Morgan was among the first to pay tribute, tweeting: ‘RIP Lionel Blair, 92. A wonderful all-round entertainer & lovely man. Sad news.’ Read more
Portugal to hold snap election after budget rejection (National)
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa will face an early election on January 30 after Parliament rejected his minority Socialist government’s 2022 budget last week.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced the date on Thursday in Lisbon. He had said Parliament would be dissolved if legislators rejected the budget.
Mr Costa, who is halfway through a second four-year term, is heading for the vote with a lead in opinion polls over the biggest opposition group, the centre-right Social Democratic Party, or PSD.
If victorious, he is likely to preside over another minority cabinet governing a recovering economy. Read more
Maria Sharapova: “Retreat is a word that makes me feel old!” (TennisWorld)
Maria Sharapova has been one of the most iconic women tennis players in modern tennis, and not just because of her many victories on the court, buty also for her beauty, her grit, the fashion and love stories. In her career she has won five Grand Slam tournaments (1 Australian Open, 2 Roland Garros, 1 Wimbledon and 1 US Open) and became one of the ten players in history to have completed the Career Grand Slam, r eached on 9 June 2012 with the victory of his first Roland Garros.
On top of that she boasts 36 singles tournaments, including the WTA Finals in 2004, and twelve Premier category tournaments. She has occupied the first position of the world ranking in singles on five different occasions, for a total of 21 weeks, becoming the first Russian player in history and the top of the ranking.
She became number one for the first time at age 18 on August 22, 2005 and for the last time in July 2012. She has been awarded the ESPY Award for best tennis player five times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2014). In 2012 she was awarded the silver medal in singles at the London Olympics, in her only Olympics ever played.
In an interview with Randall Lane, Forbes chief content officer, at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit, Sharapova said with a laugh about her talking about her retirement from tennis, and recounting how she felt after something important decision for her future. Read more
West Ham confirm fan in away end at Genk lost a finger amid wild goal celebrations (DailyMail)
A West Ham fan lost a finger in the away end at Genk celebrating his side’s second goal in their 2-2 Europa League draw.
Footage was circulating on social media on Thursday night showing the finger being picked up off the floor by a steward and placed on the fence in front of the travelling support.
Other supporters then tried to hurry the stewards at the game in Belgium to get ice and were frustrated at the lack of urgency.
It is understood the supporter, who will remain unidentified, lost his finger while banging the fence. He has now received medical attention. Read more
Clarkson scores 30, Mitchell-less Jazz rout Hawks 116-98 (BellinghamHerald)
Jordan Clarkson bounced back from his worst game of the season, scoring 30 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 116-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night despite the absence of Donovan Mitchell.
Utah’s star guard did not dress because of a sprained right ankle, but Clarkson picked up the slack off the bench to give the Jazz their eighth victory in nine games this season.
The game was tight through the first three quarters, with the Jazz heading to the final period up 75-74. But Utah blew away the home team in the final 12 minutes, knocking down eight 3-pointers while hitting 13 of their final 22 shots.
Clarkson was coming off a miserable game Tuesday night, going 0 for 11 from 3-point range and 1 of 13 overall to finish with just two points in a victory over Sacramento. It was his second straight game without a 3 after making at least one from long range in 99 consecutive games. Read more
Rivaldo says incoming Barcelona manager Xavi needs to sign ‘3 new players’ in January (Metro)
Rivaldo says incoming Barcelona manager Xavi has a ‘tough mission ahead’ and has told his former team-mate he needs to sign ‘three new players’ in January to improve the squad.
Club legend Xavi is the favourite to replace Ronald Koeman at the Nou Camp after the Dutchman was sacked at the end of last month.
Under Koeman, Barcelona amassed just 15 points from ten games in La Liga and suffered two defeats in the group stage of the Champions League.
Rivaldo admits taking over the Spanish giants is a tough ask for inexperienced manager Xavi and says he needs to strengthen his squad as soon as possible. Read more
Conte: Crazy Vietesse game important for Spurs (SkySports)
New Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte labelled his first match in charge of the club – a 3-2 win over Vitesse Arnhem in the Europa Conference League on Thursday – a “crazy game”, but one that will also be important in the team’s growth.
Conte only took over at Spurs on Tuesday following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, with the Italian granted his work permit to led his new team against Vitesse two days later.
Conte’s debut clash was a five-goal thriller, including three red cards, as the home side took all three points to move up to second place in Group G.
“My first impression is that it was a crazy game because we were winning 3-0 and we were dominating the game and created many chances to score other goals, but instead in 10 minutes we conceded twice and we lost a bit of confidence,” said Conte. “I think you have to work also on these aspects, but we should have won and we won. Read more
Unnamed Spanish footballer confirms that he is bisexual following Josh Cavallo announcement (Eurosport)
A Spanish footballer has announced that he is bisexual, but has not revealed his name.
The news comes a week after 21-year-old Australian player Josh Cavallo announced in a video that he was gay.
Cavallo’s announcement was met with overwhelming public support by footballers and other athletes.
Radio Murcia Cadena Ser has now published a letter from a professional footballer who has elected not to use his name because, ‘the message itself is more important than the name’. In the letter, the player confirms he is bisexual and lives with his partner, a man. Read more
Unvaccinated AFLW star Deni Varnhagen placed on Crows’ inactive list (Guardian)
Deni Varnhagen’s AFLW career is on hold after the dual premiership player was moved on to the Adelaide Crows’ inactive roster following her refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccination.
Varnhagen, a registered nurse who works in ICUs, reiterated her unwillingness to receive the jab earlier this week, describing the Covid vaccine as a “medical experiment” and claiming that “coercion is not consent”.
The defender’s stance means she will be barred from playing for the Crows once the new season starts in January – in line with the AFL’s vaccination policy.
Varnhagen fails to meet requirements set out in the league’s recent directive that all AFLW players must receive their first vaccination by 19 November and be fully vaccinated by 17 December. Read more