Lagos gives styrofoam makers 3 weeks to clear stock (Punch)
The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, said there was no going back on the total ban on the usage and distribution of styrofoam in the state, adding that it was giving concerned stakeholders three weeks before the commencement of enforcement.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, declared this during a consultative meeting with representatives of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Restaurant and Food Services Proprietor Association of Nigeria at the Secretariat, Alausa.
Wahab said enough damage had been done to the health of residents of the state as well as the environment, stressing that “three weeks is enough time for the products already in the state to be exhausted if indeed the stockists are committed,” according to a statement on Thursday. Read more
NPA, Customs collaborate on exports, trade facilitation (Leadership)
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have pledged to work together to deepen trade facilitation and drive exports as part of measures to support the federal government’s economic diversification effort.
They made the pledge yesterday when the Comptroller General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi led members of his management team to NPA’s headquarters, Lagos.
Doing so, they stated, will improve Nigeria’s export earnings and facilitation of export cargoes onboard ocean going vessels. Read more
VIO impounds 408 vehicles for traffic offence in Kano (Guardian)
Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) in Kano impounded 408 vehicles for suspected traffic offences from January to December 2023.
Mr Hassan Garba, the VIO state’s Director of the Road Traffic Department, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kano. Read more
Southwest PDP meets in Ibadan (Nation)
Leaders and stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Southwest chapter, have met in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, to elect Chief Kamorudeen Ajisafe as the National Vice Chairman (Southwest).
The meeting, held at the frontage of the Presidential Lodge, Oyo State Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, was attended by the leader of the party in the Southwest, Oyo State Governor ‘Seyi Makinde and his Osun State counterpart, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.
Speaking after the meeting, Makinde said: “PDP is now fully united in the Southwest.” Read more
Join APC, Ganduje appeals to Kano governor (Channels)
In a significant move, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has publicly urged Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State to abandon the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and join the opposition APC.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Kano on Thursday, Ganduje, a former governor of the state, emphasized the strategic importance of Governor Yusuf’s potential switch to the APC, envisioning the transformation of Kano into a one-party state.
“Our hands are wide open. We are appealing to those who like to join our party. In particular, we are inviting the governor of Kano state to dump his party, NNPP, and join APC,” Ganduje declared during the meeting. Read more
Women farmers alleges exclusion from food security policy formulation (Guardian)
Women farmers under the aegis of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, (AFAN) have raised concerns that they are not being carried along in the policy formulation to boost food production in the country.
They lamented that despite producing 70 percent of the food consumed in the country, women farmers are often excluded from the decision-making table
The National Woman Leader, AFAN, Enitan Onitiri, during a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, said with the passion and commitment of women in agriculture and agribusiness in feeding the over 200 million mouths, President Tinubu needs to meet with women farmers and see how to deeply engage, collaborate and empower women farmers to achieve the State of emergency declared in the agricultural sector. Read more
Edo 2024: I’ll win overwhelmingly in my third attempt – Ize-Iyamu (Vanguard)
A former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu said that he is confident of winning overwhelmingly in the upcoming Edo State gubernatorial election.
Ize-Iyamu stated in an interview with Arise Television on Thursday.
He said he has an edge in the forthcoming elections as he claimed that the current governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has not, in the past eight years of his tenure as governor, developed the state. Read more
Ondo Assembly confirms Adelami as Deputy Governor (Channels)
Ondo State House of Assembly has screened and ratified Olayide Adelami as the Deputy Governor of the state.
At a Thursday plenary presided over by the Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji, the Clerk of the House, Benjamin Jaiyeola, read the nomination letter written to the House by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Wednesday.
Submitting the report of the screening committee, the Deputy Speaker, Abayomi Akinruntan, noted that Adelami has been confirmed to be a man of reputable character, well exposed, and also physically and mentally fit for the position. Read more
Mary J. Blige says her inclusion on Lovers & Friends Festival lineup is ‘‘an error’’ (HipHopDX)
Mary J. Blige has set the record straight about being listed as a performer at what has become one of the most popular annual Hip Hop and R&B gatherings.
On Thursday (January 25), the 53-year-old singer made it clear that she will not be taking the stage at the Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas this May. While she was billed alongside titans such as Lil Wayne, Nas, Ludacris, Nelly and Snoop Dogg, Mary has revealed that she was not scheduled to appear at the event, as it conflicts with a project of her own.
“I am beyond humbled by the response from all of you about the announcement of me on Lovers & Friends Festival,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “Unfortunately my inclusion was an error as I will be busy in preparation for my Strength of a Woman Summit just one week later!
Dua Lipa announces new single ‘‘Training Season’’ (NME)
Dua Lipa has announced her new single ‘‘Training Season’’ from her forthcoming album.
The pop singer took to her official Instagram account to share that her latest song ‘Training Season’ will be released on February 15. Fans can pre-order / pre-save the track now. It is available in a limited edition 7″ vinyl as well as a CD and a cassette tape.
Lipa also shared a snippet of the upbeat track on her TikTok account. In the video, she is seen singing along to the song with the lyrics: “I need someone to hold me close / deeper than I’ve ever known / whose love feels like a rodeo / knows just how to take control / He’s straight talking to my soul / conversation overload / got me feeling vertigo” while dancing in the back of a car. Read more
Austin Butler says he hired a dialect coach to help get rid of Elvis accent for Masters of the Air (THR)
Austin Butler revealed that he only had a week between filming Elvis and Masters of the Air, which means he had to work extra hard to drop his Elvis Presley accent.
During a Wednesday night appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the Oscar-nominated actor said he “had a dialect coach just to help me not sound like Elvis.”
Butler explained that he faced some challenges once filming wrapped for Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis because he dedicated three years of his life to portraying the King of Rock and Roll. Once the film was complete, the actor admitted he struggled trying to rediscover himself. Read more
Colman Domingo to play Michael Jackson’s father Joe in ‘‘Michael’’ biopic (People)
Fresh off his Oscar nomination, Colman Domingo is ready to play another famous figure.
The Rustin star is set to portray the late Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael, Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International announced Thursday via a press release.
Scheduled for release April 18, 2025, the biographical film will star the King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the title role. Domingo, 54, joins him as Michael’s father Joe, who managed the Jackson 5 and daughters Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet from the 1960s through the ’80s. Read more
After pope’s plea, captors release 6 nuns held in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (UPI)
After nearly a week in captivity, six Catholic nuns who were kidnapped in Port-au-Prince were released Thursday morning, days after a plea by Pope Francis, Haitian Archbishop Max Leroy Mesidor said.
Two lay people also were released by their captors, Mesidor said.
“We give thanks to God,” Mesidor told the Vatican News about the support given around the world after the kidnapping. “Thank you for your support.” Read more
US Commission troubled by Hindu temple opening on ruins of mosque in India (VOA)
The grand opening this week of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, India, has triggered a wave of both jubilation and criticism, reigniting long-simmering tensions over religious tolerance in the world’s most populous democracy.
The temple, built on the disputed site of the demolished 16th century Babri Mosque, has drawn mixed reactions, with Hindu devotees celebrating its completion while Muslim groups and international observers express dismay.
“[We are] troubled by the recent construction and inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque,” Stephen Schneck, a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF, told VOA in written comments. Read more
Sharon Osbourne recalls Ozzy having Robin Williams visit her and tell jokes while she had cancer (People)
When Sharon Osbourne was struggling with cancer, her spirits were raised by an unexpected visitor: the late Robin Williams.
During the latest episode of The Osbournes podcast, Sharon and husband Ozzy recalled how Robin Williams cheered her up for a few hours one day following her 2002 cancer diagnosis.
“When Sharon was sick with cancer, I felt bad about leaving her just in the house, so I asked Robin Williams if he’d come and see her,” said the Black Sabbath rocker, 75. “Sharon loved him.” Read more
CAF confirms Flying Eagles, Falconets for African Games (Punch)
The Confederation of African Football has announced the participating teams for the football event of the 2024 African Games, with Nigeria’s men and women’s U-20 teams, the Flying Eagles and the Falconets, taking automatic spots.
Ghana will host the 2023 African Games, which is the 13th edition, from March 8 to 23 across three cities — Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast.
The men’s football event will feature the eight quarter-finalists of the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2023, as well as the host country, Ghana. Read more
Ivory Coast fails to land coach Hervé Renard ‘on loan’ from France women’s team for Africa Cup (TorontoStar)
Host nation Ivory Coast has failed to land French coach Hervé Renard “on loan” from the France women’s team for the rest of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Renard led Ivory Coast to the Africa Cup title in 2015 and the country’s soccer federation was keen to bring him back for another attempt after firing his compatriot Jean-Louis Gasset on Wednesday.
But talks with the French federation over a possible loan deal for Renard broke down without agreement on Thursday. Read more
Pep Guardiola makes Manchester United jibe in response to Omar Berrada switch from Man City (Standard)
Pep Guardiola has joked Manchester United should name a stand after Omar Berrada if their incoming chief executive proves to have the magic touch.
Berrada quit his role as chief football operations officer at rivals Manchester City last weekend after being offered the senior position at Old Trafford.
The appointment is a major coup for United with Berrada having been a key off-field part of City’s recent triumphs, but Guardiola has warned that his fellow Spaniard is no instant guarantee of success. Read more
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard 2024 All-Star Game starters (Fox)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and guard Damian Lillard have been selected as starters for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.
According to a press release from the Milwaukee Bucks, this is the eighth consecutive All-Star Game selection and start for Antetokounmpo and the eighth selection for Lillard, who has been named a starter for the first time in his career.
In his 11th NBA season, Antetokounmpo is averaging a career-high 31.3 points (3rd in NBA), 11.7 rebounds (5th in NBA), and a career-high 6.2 assists per game while shooting a career-best 60.5% from the field (9th in NBA). Read more
Novak Djokovic faces Jannik Sinner hurdle as Australian Open final beckons (StraitsTimes)
Novak Djokovic meets Jannik Sinner for a place in the Australian Open final on Jan 26, knowing he stands just two matches away from tennis immortality.
The Serbian superstar, 36, will resume his march towards an 11th title and a record 25th Grand Slam crown in the afternoon session on Rod Laver Arena, again bumped from his favoured evening slot.
In the night match, the spotlight will be on Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev and Germany’s Alexander Zverev, who knocked Spanish superstar Carlos Alcaraz out in the quarter-finals. Read more