Motorist kills 7 at Calabar Carnival parade (Nation)
A tragic incident that claimed seven lives yesterday brought a temporary halt to the ongoing Calabar Carnival in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
The colourful event, which kicked-off on Monday with a cultural carnival, is expected to end tomorrow.
The annual carnival, which was initiated during the administration of Donald Duke, did not hold in the past two years.
It was suspended in 2020 due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. No reason was given for the carnival not being held last year.
My daughter pregnant with twins, died with her glory –Slain lawyer’s mum (Punch)
The mother of late Omobolanle Raheem, the lawyer who was shot dead by Drambi Vandi, a policeman attached to the Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State, has said the victim was pregnant with twins.
The bereaved woman, according to TheCable, spoke on Tuesday during a condolence visit to the family by the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi.
She said, “I cannot see my ‘The Law’ again. People usually call her ‘The Law’. She was taken away from me. She was pregnant with twins.
“She died with her glory. She left a five-year-old daughter behind. And they took her away. Read more
Lagos explains why Wonderland event centre is shut (Guardian)
Management of Wonderland, yesterday, denied knowledge of the electrocution of a teenager in its facility at Energy City, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The State Government had on Monday, December 26, 2022, sealed off the children’s section of the park over safety concerns. It was gathered that a teenager, who went to the park during the Christmas holiday, was electrocuted by multiple naked wires around the bouncing circle section.
Reacting, the management of the facility said the case was never reported before the decision by the state government to lock up the place.
Co-Founder, Wonderland, Lagos, Ezekiel Adamu, in a statement said: “A video of a parent’s complaint regarding a supposed open wire incident and other safety concerns has come to our attention. One of our major responsibilities is the safety of everyone who visits or works at our entertainment city. Read more
Raheem: Buhari condemns ‘‘senseless’’ killing, says justice must be done (Channels)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday condemned the “heinous and senseless” killing of a Lagos-based lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, by a trigger-happy Assistant Superintendent of Police, Drambi Vandi.
Raheem was shot dead on Christmas Day by Vandi who was attached to Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah. The cop and his team were said to have tried to stop Raheem and her family members as they drove back home from a church service.
Raheem was shot when the car she was in tried to make a U-turn under the Ajah Bridge. The victim was rushed to a hospital but was confirmed dead.
The President in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, assured the late lawyer’s family and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that justice must be done in the case. Read more
I no longer enjoy life, hope to leave in good faith – Dantata (DailyTrust)
Elder statesman and renowned business mogul, Aminu Alhassan Dantata, has revealed that he no longer enjoys life and he is hoping to depart this world in good faith.
Dantata, 91, disclosed this when he received the Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kashim Shettima.
He said from a youthful age, he had the privilege of meeting many people and had engaged in friendship in all states of Nigeria but could hardly call out 10 who are still alive.
“I have travelled to all the states in Nigeria and I have done things with people across all states, many were friends but sadly, all the people I know, I hardly can call out 10 that are still alive. Read more
Lagos govt promises to prioritise workers’ welfare (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has assured the newly-inaugurated executive council members of the Lagos State Public Service Club of its support to ensure that public workers’ wellness is prioritised.
According to a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, the state Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, gave the assurance during the inauguration of the 2022 to 2024 executive council in Alausa, Ikeja.
Muri-Okunola said, “We must collectively salute the visionary leadership of past governors of Lagos State as well as the present administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu for their immense support and for recognising the critical importance of mental, physical and emotional wellness and well-being among public servants and their families.
“I urge the entire public servants in the state to ensure that they rally around the new executive members to take the club to the next level.” Read more
UNILAG Don recommends more human interaction via reading (ThisDay)
A French and Francophone Studies professor at the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Victor Ariole, has called for a reengineering of the learning and knowledge system to preserve human beings.
He said an emphasis on science and technology could overwhelm humans “and take over our humanities from us.”
Ariole said this recently in Lagos at the launch of his four books ‘‘When Women Take Over’’, ‘‘Oyster in the Pandemic’’, ,“Thoughts on Asserting Nigerianess Beyond Ethnicism’’, and a French Book, ‘‘Les Femmes mo Pouvoir’’. Read more
Thousands grace launch of APC guber campaign in Zamfara (Guardian)
A mammoth crowd of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters, yesterday, graced the launch of the party’s governorship campaign for the 2023 general elections in Zamfara State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the event took place in Kaura Namoda Local Council, Zamfara North Senatorial Zone, adding that the crowd consists of APC supporters from across the 147 wards of the 14 local councils of the state.
The APC Governorship Campaign Council has former Governor Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari as Chairman; former Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Tijjani Yahaya, as Director-General and the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi as Secretary.
All past civilian governors of the state, their deputies and former speakers attended the event. Read more
Britney Spears calls herself the “nerd of the century” (DailyMail)
Britney Spears ditched her everyday glam to play around with her nerdy side on Tuesday.
The singer, 41, looked geek chic as she modeled a pair of large, brown-frame eyeglasses during what appeared to be a private jet ride.
She shared the snap to Instagram, where she referred to herself in the caption as the ‘nerd of the century.’
She wore her long blonde locks up into a messy hairdo and turned her lips up in a small puckered grin while giving the camera a thumbs up.
Bob Marley’s grandson Joseph Mersa Marley dies aged 31 (Metro)
Joseph Mersa Marley reportedly died in Florida on Tuesday (Picture: Jeff Moore/ZUMA Wire)
Bob Marley’s grandson, Joseph ‘Mersa’ Marley, has reportedly died at the age of 31.
Political figures in Jamaica paid tribute to the musician, whose father is Bob’s son Stephen Marley, after reports emerged claiming Joseph died in Florida on Tuesday morning.
South Florida radio station WZPP RADIO was among the first to report the news and claimed Joseph was found unresponsive in a vehicle. A rep for Joseph later confirmed the news to Rolling Stone.
However, a cause of death has not been confirmed. Read more
Leader of plot to kidnap Michigan governor jailed (BBC)
The ringleader of a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Adam Fox, 39, appeared in front of US District Court Judge Richard Jonker in Grand Rapids on Tuesday.
Earlier this year he was found guilty of planning to abduct Ms Whitmer from her holiday home with other militiamen.
The group targeted the Democratic governor in 2020 because they were opposed to Covid rules she imposed early in the pandemic.
As well as conspiring to abduct Ms Whitmer, Fox was sentenced for planning to use a weapon of mass destruction to blow up a bridge after the kidnapping, to make it easier to escape. Read more
Jeremiah Green, Drummer of Modest Mouse, diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (TheWrap)
Jeremiah Green, one of the founding members of the rock band Modest Mouse, has been diagnosed with stage four cancer, according to the musician’s mother.
“Please send healing vibes for my son, Jeremiah Green, who is battling stage 4 cancer,” wrote Green’s mother in a Facebook post on Christmas Day. In her post, she also shared several photos of the drummer. “He’s so strong and so brave and hanging in there!” The post now has more than 100 comments.
The news of his diagnosis comes just a day after rock radio DJ, Marco Collins, announced Green wouldn’t be performing in the band’s tour in order to receive chemotherapy treatments.
“Just found out my friend Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse) has pulled off the band’s tour because he is currently undergoing chemo treatments to battle Stage 4 Cancer,” Collins wrote in a Facebook post on Christmas, adding Green is expected to do well with treatment. Read more
Jobs for Emiratis: UAE pushes work for own citizens (RFI)
With foreign workers making up the vast bulk of private sector jobs in the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf’s second-largest economy wants to boost opportunities for its own citizens.
The UAE — like other oil-rich Arab Gulf states — has often used the public sector as an employment vehicle for its nationals.
But times are changing, said 34-year-old Emirati researcher Khalifa al-Suwaidi, who has himself been looking for a private sector job since quitting a government post in June.
“We’ve reached a point where we have a diversity among Emiratis in terms of skill sets and expertise,” said Suwaidi.
“The public sector can no longer accommodate many of those talents”. Read more
Malignant director James Wan addresses sequel possibility (DigitalSpy)
Malignant director James Wan has opened up about whether the film will ever have a sequel.
In an interview with Screen Rant, the director revealed whether a sequel was on the cards in the near future, and it looks like we might have to wait a while before Malignant 2 sees the light of day.
“Let me just say we have a lot of stuff going on right now. Malignant 2 is not necessarily at the top. But we’re definitely keeping Akela [Cooper, who wrote Malignant] very busy, I can tell you that,” he said.
However, you don’t have to wait long if you want to see a horror epic that Wan has something to do with because his new horror film M3GAN, which he has written and produced, will be landing in theatres in January. Read more
US Supreme Court upholds controversial Title 42 border policy (AlJazeera)
The United States Supreme Court has temporarily kept in place Title 42, a controversial immigration policy that has been criticised for denying refugees the ability to seek asylum in the US.
In a five-four vote on Tuesday, the justices granted a request filed by several Republican state attorneys generals for the court to consider whether the states can challenge the end of Title 42. The policy was set to expire in mid-December, leading to fears of heightened immigration to the US.
The court’s decision to take up the case means Title 42 will remain in place for the indefinite future, dashing the hopes of rights groups who have characterised it as arbitrary and illegal.
“We are deeply disappointed for all the desperate asylum seekers who will continue to suffer because of Title 42, but we will continue fighting to eventually end the policy,” said Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has sued for an end to the policy.
Blind and Ajax end contract six months early (BBC)
Netherlands defender Daley Blind has agreed to terminate his contract with Ajax six months early, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old, who joined Ajax’s academy aged eight, played 333 times during two spells with the Dutch side.
He has won seven Eredivisie titles with the club and scored 13 goals.
“Over the course of the last few days, we reached an agreement with Daley to terminate his contract,” Ajax president Edwin van der Sar said.
“I hope he can find another club to end his successful career with.” Read more
Osimhen in top 5 most expensive Serie A players (Punch)
Victor Osimhen has been ranked among the top five most expensive players in the Italian Serie A by Football Benchmark, a football statistics website that provides in-depth understanding and analysis of the business of football, and the market values of thousands of footballers.
The Nigeria international is the fourth most expensive player in the Italian topflight at €80m (approximately N38.1b), Naples-based daily newspaper Il Mattino has reported.
At the top of the list is AC Milan’s Portugal World Cup star Rafael Leão who is valued at €90m followed by Inter Milan stars Nicolò Barella (€83m) and 2022 World Cup winner Lautaro Martínez (€81.5m).
Completing the top five is AC Milan’s France national team Theo Hernandez (€79m), who started the World Cup final against Argentina on December 18. Read more
Man Utd 3-0 Nottingham Forest: Marcus Rashford scores one goal and sets up another in easy win (Sky)
Marcus Rashford scored one goal and set up another as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 to move a point behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the Premier League.
United’s preparations were disrupted by a virus which left Raphael Varane, who had only just returned from World Cup duty with France, as their only fit centre-back, with Erik ten Hag having to use left-back Luke Shaw alongside him.
But Forest rarely tested their makeshift backline, and, in United’s first Premier League game since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, Rashford took centre stage, dispatching the opener from Christian Eriksen’s clever corner in the 19th minute, then teeing up Anthony Martial for the second goal shortly afterwards. Read more
Chelsea’s Reece James leaves Bournemouth win early after returning from injury (ESPN)
Chelsea returned to winning ways in their first appearance after the World Cup break, but delight at their 2-0 home victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday was tamped down by a new injury concern for Reece James.
The England right-back lasted only 53 minutes on his return from the knee injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, leaving Chelsea fearing the worst as they await a more detailed examination and prognosis.
“He’s not good, but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s too early for me to speculate, but whenever he comes off like that, it is not positive,” manager Graham Potter said.
Eight minutes into the second half, James signalled to the bench that he needed to come off before going down in some discomfort. He looked distraught as he laid on the pitch at Stamford Bridge receiving treatment, but did walk off on his own. Read more
Logan Sargeant presented with special helmet ahead of 2023 hometown debut (PlanetF1)
As Logan Sargeant prepares for his first season in Formula 1, his home team had the ideal Christmas present in mind.
At a time where Formula 1 is booming in the United States, the series has reached a significant landmark with the return of an American driver to the grid.
Williams confirmed the promotion of their academy star Sargeant into their line-up for 2023, the Florida native to partner Alex Albon.
It means that Formula 1 will have an American racer on the grid for the first time since Alexander Rossi in 2015. Read more
James helps Lakers stop 4-game slide with win over Magic (CBS)
LeBron James scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double and the Los Angeles Lakers stopped a four-game slide, beating the Orlando Magic 129-110 on Tuesday night.
James also had seven rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes. The four-time NBA MVP had scored at least 30 points in each of his last seven games.
Thomas Bryant added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 54.4% from the field. Westbrook finished with 15 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in a reserve role.
Markelle Fultz led Orlando with 16 points. Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. each had 15. Read more