Military killed Kachalla, 3 other terrorist commanders – DHQ (DailyTrust)
The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the killing of four notorious terrorist commanders in airstrikes within the week.
They are Machika, Haro, Dan Muhammadu and Ali Alhaji Alheri, popularly called Kachalla Ali Kawaje.
Daily Trust had reported on Wednesday that Kachalla was killed in a military operation. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. Read more
Tinubu mourns broadcaster, Kabiru Fagge (Punch)
President Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, expressed grief over the passing of a veteran broadcaster, Kabiru Usman Fagge, who died on Friday in the United States of America.
This was disclosed in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale , on Saturday.
“Fagge, aged 77, was an enduring name across the Hausa-speaking world for his long career with the Hausa service of the Voice of America, spanning 25 years”, the statement read. Read more
Navy takes firm stand against oil theft, maritime crimes – CNS (Guardian)
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, says the Nigerian Navy has taken a firm stand against all forms of maritime crimes, especially the twin evils of oil theft and piracy.
Ogalla said this at the Nigerian Navy Ceremonial Sunset and Awards Night 2023, on Friday in Abuja.
He said a number of vessels and individuals involved in oil theft had been apprehended in the various maritime security operations conducted by the Nigerian navy. Read more
Sugar Tax saves lives, benefits the poor, says NASR Coalition (Leadership)
The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) Coalition has reaffirmed its position that levying taxes on Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) and alcoholic drinks can significantly benefit underprivileged Nigerians.
Dr. Alhassan Umar, Co-Chairman of NASR, reiterated the coalition’s stance in a statement shared with newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.
The coalition has consistently advocated for substantial taxes on SSB products and alcoholic beverages, believing that such taxes would not only dissuade Nigerians from purchasing these items but also reduce the burden of diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases associated with excessive sugar consumption. Read more
Northern Governors donate N180m to Tudun Biri bomb victims (ThisDay)
The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), has donated N180m to the victims of the bomb incident in Tudun Biri community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The donation was announced in a communique issued after the meeting of the governors yesterday at the Government House, Kaduna.
This is as the Chairman of NSGF and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, said that addressing insecurity and other challenges were crucial to the development of the North. Read more
Rivers crisis: 2 more commissioners resign from Fubara’s cabinet (Vanguard)
Two more commissioners have resigned from the cabinet of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
This has brought the number of commissioners, who have resigned from the governor’s cabinet to nine.
The latest to resign are the Commissioner for Special Projects, Emeka Woke and the Commissioner for Environment, Austen Ben-Chioma. Read more
Early morning inferno destroys over 30 shops in Jalingo (Sun)
An early morning inferno on Saturday ravaged over 30 provision shops at the roadblock area of Jalingo the Taraba state capital.
Our Correspondent who went to the scene reports that the actual cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained as some shop owners were blaming the black marketeers of cooking Gas within the premises, while some were blaming the iron welder.
Angry youth descended on men of the fire service when they arrived at the scene over 30 minutes after being informed, and they immediately drove out of the scene leaving the fire unquenched. Read more
Residents decry filling station sited in Lagos community (Punch)
Residents of Emmanuel Okonne Crescent, New London Estate, Baruwa inside, Ipaja Ayobo, in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have raised the alarm over the construction of a filling station in the community.
The residents lamented that their lives and properties might be at risk if the construction of the filling station is completed.
City Round gathered that the owner of the filling station, Alhaji Umar Muhammed, had told the community that he intended to build a supermarket on the portion of land by the roadside but reports emerged that he planned to construct a filling station. Read more
Jessica Chastain says Taylor Swift made her ‘a breakup playlist’ after their first meeting at the Met Gala (People)
Jessica Chastain has Taylor Swift to thank for getting her through a past break-up.
On Friday, the Scenes from a Marriage actress, 46, revealed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that Swift, 34, sent her a break-up playlist after the pair met for the first time at the 2011 Met Gala.
“We were both sitting next to each other … and she was so sweet,” Chastain, 46, told host Jimmy Fallon, also explaining that it was the first time she had been invited to the annual fashion event. Read more
Fiona Shaw teases role in John Krasinski’s “IF” (FilmNews)
Fiona Shaw has divulged details about her role in John Krasinski’s upcoming movie “IF”.
The Killing Eve actress stars alongside Krasinski, Ryan Reynolds and The Walking Dead’s Cailey Fleming in The Office actor’s latest directorial project, which he also wrote and produced.
During an interview with Cover Media, Shaw, 65, was asked what she could reveal about the upcoming film. Read more
Doja Cat responds to backlash over alt-right t-shirt (HipHopDx)
Doja Cat has addressed the controversial t-shirt she wore in the fall that featured Sam Hyde – a comedian known for his alleged association with far-right political ideology.
The “Juicy” hitmaker spoke in depth with Ebro Darden for Apple Music in an interview published on Thursday (December 14). While noting she’s not political, the California native said that she didn’t know Hyde was a controversial figure.
“First of all, I’m not a political person at all,” Doja began. “I feel like when it comes to that sort of thing, I have to back the fuck away. Politics are not something that I wanna sweep into my life. I just want creativity and joy and just sort of the immediate reality of my friends, my family and my music and whatever. You can’t know everything and me wearing a t-shirt of somebody who I thought was funny is ‘an attack on people’? It’s not an attack. It didn’t affect the world in a way where we now have to look behind our backs. We don’t.” Read more
May Pang on her 18-month love affair with John Lennon (Independent)
The last time John Lennon’s one-time lover May Pang was visited by his ghost, it was while she was watching an episode of Law & Order. “But when you talk about stuff like this, people think you’re imagining it or are a little crazy,” the 73-year-old says. “So I don’t ever talk about it.”
For someone so savvy, Pang is astonishingly innocent. Or maybe it’s the other way round. She grew up loving The Beatles and met Lennon in 1970, when she was 22 (he was 10 years older). A receptionist for Allen Klein, she was – a year later – working as a personal assistant for both Lennon and his avant-garde artist wife Yoko Ono while they lived at New York’s Dakota Building.
Lennon and Ono were having problems in their marriage; it’s a matter of record that Ono decided Pang would be a useful distraction. Having encouraged Lennon to make a move on Pang, she ordered Pang to comply. Pang had her doubts, but was too junior (and, once Lennon kissed her, dazzled) to demur. Read more
Chad votes on new constitution ahead of promised end of military rule (AfricaNews)
Chadians vote on Sunday on a new constitution, in a key step towards elections promised, but postponed, by the ruling junta and seen as a test of legitimacy for the Deby dynasty’s more than 30-year rule.
Transitional President General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, whose junta has governed since 2021, had promised to hand power to civilians and hold elections this year before postponing them to 2024.
The “yes” vote is expected to win the constitutional referendum after a well-financed campaign by the ruling junta against a divided opposition, which has faced arrest, intimidation and threats for more than a year. Read more
Kuwait’s ruling emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, dies at age 86 (TimesOfIsrael)
The ruling emir of oil-rich Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, died on Saturday aged 86, the royal court said, after three years in power marked by repeated political disputes.
“With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn… the death of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait,” said a statement aired on state television.
The channel had cut its regular programming and switched to a broadcast of a Koranic recital before the announcement. Read more
Vladimir Putin taunts West with ‘meteorite’ missile as nukes in state of ‘high readiness’ (Mirror)
Vladimir Putin’s lead commander of strategic forces has warned the West that Russia is constantly in a state of “high readiness to perform tasks” referring to the country’s nuclear capabilities
Vladimir Putin today taunted the West as he completed arming a key regiment with his most deadly “meteorite” nuclear-capable hypersonic missile complex Avangard.
His commander of strategic forces, Colonel-General Sergey Karakayev, warned Russia’s nuclear forces are in a state of “high readiness to perform tasks”. “Continuous combat duty in special mode has been organised,” he said amid deep tension with the West over the war in Ukraine. Read more
NPFL commences random tests on players (Leadership)
Mandatory conduct of random tests for illicit drugs on players of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has commenced as all 20 clubs have been directed to facilitate the process for operatives of the National Anti-Doping Committee.
In a memo to clubs signed by Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer, the anti-doping tests will be administered on two players from each of the clubs involved in a given fixture without prior notice.
The clubs were enjoined to extend maximum cooperation to the Anti-Doping agency in the discharge of the task that aims to cleanse the NPFL of real and rumoured doping scandals. Read more
‘No place for genocide’: Qatar football fans stand for Gaza against Israel (AlJazeera)
While football players and fans around the world are being reprimanded for displays of solidarity with Palestine, thousands gathered at the Education City Stadium in Qatar to show their support and help raise money for Palestinians facing the wrath of Israel’s war on Gaza.
As the sun set on a windy Friday evening at the former Qatar World Cup 2022 venue on the outskirts of the capital, Doha, fans dressed in Palestinian colours and waving the Palestinian flag flocked to the venue in high spirits.
Doha, Qatar – While football players and fans around the world are being reprimanded for displays of solidarity with Palestine, thousands gathered at the Education City Stadium in Qatar to show their support and help raise money for Palestinians facing the wrath of Israel’s war on Gaza.
As the sun set on a windy Friday evening at the former Qatar World Cup 2022 venue on the outskirts of the capital, Doha, fans dressed in Palestinian colours and waving the Palestinian flag flocked to the venue in high spirits. Read more
Rebecca Welch to be Premier League’s first woman referee when she leads Fulham vs Burnley (NBC)
The Festive Fixtures will include history made in the Premier League times two, as Rebecca Welch is set to become the competition’s first woman referee and Sam Allison the first black official to take charge of a match for 15 years.
Welch already made Premier League history in November when she was the first woman to be appointed to the role of fourth official for a game, overseeing Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Fulham on Saturday.
Now she’ll be the head referee for Burnley’s visit to Fulham on Saturday, December 23. Read more
Liverpool ‘luxury’ giving Jurgen Klopp biggest Premier League title hope according to Paul Merson (HitC)
Paul Merson thinks the Liverpool attack with Mohamed Salah is a ‘luxury’ that offers Jurgen Klopp their ‘greatest’ source of optimism for winning the Premier League title.
The Anfield outfit entered this weekend atop the table through 16 games with a slender gap over their rivals. Liverpool edged one point clear of Arsenal last Saturday thanks to a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. Aston Villa then kept the Reds in front as they later edged the Gunners 1-0.
Liverpool are now the only Premier League squad to suffer only one single defeat during the 2023/24 campaign so far. Klopp’s team, plus Arsenal and Aston Villa, have also won 11 times to lead the way. The Reds also rank well for their attacking (2nd) and defensive (1st) records. Read more
Man United midfield star close to Frankfurt loan move in January (CompleteSports)
Manchester United Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek is set to join Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on loan in January.
Italian journalist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, disclosed this on his X handle.
Van de Beek has agreed personal terms with Frankfurt, who are now set to finalise a loan fee with United in a deal that will also include the option to make it permanent. Read more
Spurs stun Arsenal to claim historic WSL derby win (BBC)
Arsenal squandered the chance to move top of the Women’s Super League with defeat at local rivals Tottenham.
Martha Thomas scored the only goal of the game in the second half to earn Spurs a first-ever WSL win over the Gunners.
It leaves Arsenal in second, behind champions Chelsea on goal difference, having missed the majority of chances at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Read more