Kidnapper, hunter killed as police battle to rescue victims in Plateau (DailyTrust)
The Plateau State Police Command yesterday said it has killed one kidnapper and rescued six victims in a rocky forest between Tumu Tsaya and Rumfar Gomna in Bassa LGA of the state.
The command also said one hunter, Nuhu Titus, who helped in the rescue operation lost his life.
According to the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, the victims were earlier kidnapped in Gwalada village of Toro LGA of Bauchi State and later moved to the forest. Read more
Lagos man drowns during church beach hangout (Punch)
A 34-year-old man identified as John has died after drowning in the Elegushi Beach, in Lagos State, on Saturday, during a church hangout.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the unnamed Ikorodu-based church had organised a picnic for its youths which the late John was a part of.
PUNCH Metro gathered that concerns grew when the members were about to leave the beach that Saturday afternoon but couldn’t locate him anywhere. Read more
We have sufficient stock of currency notes — CBN (Tribune)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured the general public of the availability of sufficient stock of currency notes for economic activities in the country.
The CBN’s assurance came amidst reports of the alleged scarcity of cash at banks, automated teller machines (ATMs), Points of Sale and among Bureaux de Change (BDCs) in some major cities across the country.
The apex bank explained that its findings reveal that the seeming cash scarcity in some locations is due largely to high volume withdrawals from the CBN branches by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and panic withdrawals by customers from the ATMs. Read more
Court orders immediate, unconditional release of Emefiele (ThisDay)
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release with immediate effect the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Adeniyi, who issued the order while delivering ruling in an exparte application, challenging the continued detention of the former CBN boss, ordered the anti-graft agency to in the alternative produce Emefiele in court on Monday, November 6.
The order was issued by the court after listening to the submissions of the exparte application marked: M/122/2023 in a Motion on Notice with the number, FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, filed by Emefiele. Read more
Group tasks Lagos Island students on excellence (Guardian)
Eko Boys to Men Association (EBTM), a non-governmental organisation, has stressed the need to mentor students on Lagos Island to encourage them to be responsible towards changing the narrative usually linked with residents of the area.
Speaking at a mentorship workshop, yesterday, for secondary school students in Education District III on the Lagos Island, Chairman, Membership and Welfare Committee of the group, Henry Shofowora, who represented the group Chairman, Effiong Ekon, said for Lagos Island to be perceived differently, it must begin by guiding youths from indulging in vices. Read more
Presidential yatch specialised security boat for Navy — Presidency (Nation)
The Presidency has provided a background to the provision for a “presidential yacht” in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly.
The Supplementary Budget provision has raised considerable dust in the public as many queried the need for such a provision and the House of Representatives struck it out of the budget.
However, explaining the provision in a statement by Special Adviser to the President of Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said it was indeed a budgetary request of the Navy through the Ministry of Defense and was only tagged presidential because of the special security fittings on it. Read more
Tinubu seeks fair, transparent poll in Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi (Vanguard)
President Bola Tinubu yesterday appealed to all candidates participating in the November 11 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states and the electorate to ensure free and fair elections.
The President made the appeal at the presentation of the All Progressives’ Congress, APC, flags to the standard-bearers in the upcoming elections in Abuja.
He presented the party flags to Chief Timipre Sylva for Bayelsa State; Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who is seeking a second-term in office, and Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for Kogi State. Read more
FCTA warns against turning its Social Development Secretariat to pub (Independent)
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through its Social Development Secretariat (SDS) has warned shop owners in its Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture complex in Garki, Abuja, to desist from using the Secretariat as a pub.
The Mandate Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Masari gave the warning on Wednesday night at an emergency meeting with shop owners and business operators at the FCTA’s Social Development Secretariat in Abuja.
Following that, Masari declared 7:30 p.m. to be the daily closing time for all store owners and businesses located within the complex because of security concerns. Read more
Missy Elliot 1st female rapper to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of fame (Mirror)
Missy Elliott is still in awe that she is set to become the first ever female rapper to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Talking to Robin Roberts on Thursday’s Good Morning America the iconic star admitted that despite three decades in the music business she can’t believe that she is being given such a legendary accolade. Missy, 52, said that she had always wanted to be a “superstar… I never wavered. I never changed. I said it every time.”.
She went on to confess that “words cannot describe” the honour she feels at being named at the ceremony on Friday night alongside her fellow 2023 Inductees – George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners. Missy told Robin how she had always felt as a hip-hop artist entering the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame felt “so far out of reach.” Read more
2 more civilians killed in Russian shelling of Kherson (VOA)
Russian shelling on Thursday killed two more civilians — an 81-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man — in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region, according to local authorities, marking the latest deaths in Russia’s assault on the area.
The shelling targeted several villages, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Four others were injured in the strikes, which also damaged buildings.
The two deaths came after one person died Wednesday in Russian shelling in the region’s capital, which is also called Kherson. Prokudin called the damage left by the assault “an apocalyptic scene.” Read more
SAG-AFTRA waits for response from AMPTP as AI and numerous other issues remain unresolved (Variety)
SAG-AFTRA negotiators spent Thursday afternoon in a holding pattern as the union waited for a response from management to its most recent counterproposal.
Agreements around AI remain elusive and frustrating to both sides of the table. Management believes the union is focused on too many “what if” scenarios involving fast-changing generative AI technology, while actors maintain that AI is the existential threat to their livelihoods that has fueled much of the strike. The work stoppage that began July 14 has reached Day 112, marking the longest strike against TV and film producers in SAG-AFTRA’s nearly 100-year history. Read more
Lisa Marie Presley asked Sofia Coppola to change Elvis’ portrayal in Priscilla before her death (EW)
Sofia Coppola’s new film Priscilla paints a complicated portrait of the romance between Elvis Presley and his wife, Priscilla Presley. But for the couple’s only daughter, the late Lisa Marie Presley, the script didn’t do her father justice.
According to emails obtained by Variety, Lisa Marie reached out to Coppola twice in September 2022, about a month before filming began, to express her concerns about an early draft of the screenplay and its depiction of the King of Rock and Roll. Lisa Marie, who died earlier this year at 54, reportedly said of Coppola’s Priscilla script, “My father only comes across as a predator and manipulative.”
She added, “As his daughter, I don’t read this and see any of my father in this character. I don’t read this and see my mother’s perspective of my father. I read this and see your shockingly vengeful and contemptuous perspective and I don’t understand why?” Read more
Steven Tyler sued for alleged sexual assault by second woman (MusicNews)
A second woman has accused Steven Tyler of sexual assault.
According to a lawsuit filed in New York on Thursday, a woman named Jeanne Bellino has accused the rocker of sexually assaulting her twice in 1975 on the day that they met, reports Rolling Stone.
In the suit, Bellino claimed that she met the Aerosmith frontman, who is 10 years her senior, at the Warwick Hotel in New York when she was 17. Read more
US politicians approve £12b aid for Israel but link it to government cuts (IrishExaminer)
The US House of Representatives approved 14.5 billion US dollars (£12 billion) in military aid for Israel on Thursday.
The move was a muscular US response to the war with Hamas but also a partisan approach by new Speaker Mike Johnson that poses a direct challenge to Democrats and President Joe Biden.
In a departure from norms, Mr Johnson’s package required that the emergency aid be offset with cuts in government spending elsewhere.
Apple iPhone sale revenue reaches new record (Sky)
Revenue from iPhone sales reached a new record due to high demand in China and emerging markets, the company announced on Thursday.
However, the high Q3 revenue was not enough to reverse the downward trend in Apple’s overall performance.
A total of $43.8bn (£35.9bn) was raised from iPhone sale alone after price rises and the launch of the iPhone 15. Read more
Edo Queens Crowned champions of 3rd BOWFT (Channels)
Edo Queens on Wednesday defeated Bayelsa Queens 4-3 on penalty shootout after one all draw in regulation time at the final of the third edition of the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT)
The match was played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
Bayelsa Queens took the lead in the 12th minute, with Edo Queens equalising 40 minutes into the first half of the game. Read more
Eagles team to beat at AFCON 2023 – Lawal (Punch)
Former Super Eagles midfielder, Dimeji Lawal, believes the national team has what it takes to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Dimeji stated this while speaking as a special guest of the ex-University Ibadan FA virtual interactive program.
The Eagles are drawn in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, at the 36th edition of the AFCON, which was held from January 13 to February 11, 2024, across five cities. Read more
Now or never as Dortmund face injury-hit rivals Bayern (France24)
Borussia Dortmund’s home clash with injury-ravaged Bayern Munich on Saturday is their best chance to beat their bitter rivals in years.
Bayern have not lost to Dortmund in the league in five years but travel north missing several stars, particularly in defence.
The German champions confirmed on Thursday that Matthijs de Ligt will miss several games with a knee ligament injury. Read more
Liverpool star Luis Diaz’s father ‘captured by rebels’, Colombian government says (LBC)
Luis Manuel Díaz was seized at gunpoint alongside his wide by the National Liberation Army (ELN) at a petrol station in Barrancas, the national government has said.
Hundreds of army personnel have been deployed to rescue the Liverpool star’s father after police originally said a criminal gang was behind the kidnappings.
It comes after the Liverpool star called for a march to free his kidnapped father in Colombia as he broke his silence on the abduction. Read more
Novak Djokovic was on “the toilet for 3 days” as Serb raises Paris Masters worries (Express)
Novak Djokovic confessed that he has “spent more time on the toilet seat than on the court the last three days” after coming back from a set down to defeat Tallon Griekspoor 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 at the Rolex Paris Masters.
The world No 1 caused concern when he called the doctor after dropping the first set and admitted that Thursday was the worst day so far of his stomach bug. He also had some choice words for the crowd after being booed towards the end of the match.
Djokovic came back from the brink to advance to the quarter-final in Paris-Bercy after finding himself five points from defeat in the second set. There was concern when the six-time former champion started throwing in some double faults, losing five games in a row after leading 4-1 in the first set and calling the doctor. Read more
Cameron Percy sets World Wide Technology lead at 10 under (ESPN)
Cameron Percy of Australia fired a 10-under-par 62 Thursday afternoon to soar into the first-round lead at the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Percy holed a pitch shot for eagle at the 601-yard, par-5 sixth hole and added eight birdies without a bogey to set the early pace at El Cardonal at Diamante, the first Tiger Woods-designed course to be used for a PGA Tour event.
The 49-year-old led Michael Kim, Nate Lashley and Colombia’s Camilo Villegas by two. Read more