Motorists, commuters stranded in Lagos flood (Nation)
Heavy downpour on Friday left some parts of Lagos enveloped by flood.
Traders, motorists and residents in affected areas groaned over the flood that characterised the heavy downpour.
Our Correspondent observed that sections of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway from Kola axis down to Ijaiye area of Lagos State were ravaged by the flood.
It was a similar sight at Awolowo Road in Ikeja area of the state. The flood made some streets impassable. Read more
Troops kill 7 terrorists in Kaduna community, recover weapons (Punch)
Troops of the Nigerian Army code-named ‘Operation Whirl Punch’ have killed seven terrorists terrorising locals are Kampanin Doka Village, Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Lt. Col. Musa Yahaya, in aseparate attacks the terrorists neutralised no fewer than seven villagers.
The Army spokesman said, “Following a clearance operation conducted by troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army and Operation Whirl Punch in the general area of Kampanin Doka village at Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, four bandits who have been terrorising the locals have finally met their waterloo on 1 November 2023. Read more
France to return $150m Abacha stolen assets, says French minister
(Guardian)
The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms. Catherine Colonna, has assured the Nigerian government that whatever remains of the country’s stolen assets by the late former Military Head of State, Sanni Abacha, would be returned.
Colonna gave the assurance on Friday during her visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.
Colonna, who said she was in Nigeria for the first time, said: “I also informed President Tinubu that, in response to the request submitted by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice, and in agreement with the US Administration that France will return to Nigeria the assets stolen from the Nigerian people by General Sani Abacha and his family, that have been frozen in France since 2021. Read more
“We Didn’t Change INEC Commissioner Nominee’s Name” (Leadership)
The Senate has said that it didn’t change the name of a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) nominee from Niger State.
According to the Senate, the Constitution does not give the lawmakers the power of nomination or substitution, adding that the president nominates, they screen and confirm before swearing in.
There were insinuations that indications emerged yesterday that the REC who was not nominated by President Bola Tinubu was screened and confirmed by the Senate. Read more
NASS SUVs: Hold lawmakers accountable, Reps urge Nigerians (Channels)
The House of Representatives has urged Nigerians to hold member of the National Assembly responsible over the purchase of official vehicles for the lawmakers.
Members of the National Assembly faced severe criticism over plans to buy an SUV valued at N160m each for the 469 lawmakers.
But speaking on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, the spokesman of the House of Representatives Akin Rotimi said Nigerians should hold the federal lawmakers accountable for the usage of the vehicles. Read more
Sanwo-Olu appoints special adviser, others (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed three new members to the administration of the state government.
This was disclosed on the state government’s website on Friday.
The governor appointed a trained nurse and two-term member of the state’s Health Service Commission, Mrs Oluwakemi Ogunyemi, as his Special Adviser on Health. Read more
Sanwo-Olu signs executive order creating Lagos Int’l Financial Council (Vanguard)
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed an Executive Order, establishing the Lagos International Financial Centre, LIFC, Council as part of efforts at positioning Lagos as Africa’s premier global financial hub.
Lagos State and Enterprise NGR, are poised to make history as the first African participants invited to join the prestigious Lord Mayor’s Show’s 805th procession in London.
The ground-breaking collaboration between Lagos State and EnterpriseNGR is built on their shared goal of positioning Lagos as Africa’s premier financial centre. Read more
60 Nigerian women graduate from US empowerment scheme (ThisDay)
No fewer than 60 women have graduated from the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a U.S. Government initiative that empowers women entrepreneurs with skills, resources, and networks needed to scale in business.
The graduating women who have been equipped with requisite skills and tools to develop their businesses were also supported with grants to implement their ideas.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Abuja recently, Assistant Cultural Attaché, US Embassy, Abuja, Peter Burba recognised the knowledge gap as affecting businesses in Nigeria, stating that this initiative will bridge the gap by employing world’s successful business leaders to engage with entrepreneurs. Read more
Matthew Perry funeral: Family and Friends co-stars gather 6 days after star’s death (Mirror)
Matthew Perry’s family and friends have gathered to say their final goodbyes to the beloved actor at his funeral.
The Friends star’s family and friends gathered at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon. The cemetery is opposite Warner Bros Studios, where the show Friends filmed for ten years. Perry died six days ago at the age of 54, leaving the world of Hollywood and fans of the show heartbroken.
Perry’s father, John Bennett Perry, and stepfather, Keith Morrison, were among guests at the event, reports Page Six. His Friends co-stars Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox were also seen at the event, with David Schwimmer and Matt Le Blanc also joining the group later on. Read more
Twitter fired us then ghosted us – Africa staff (BBC)
Sacked Twitter staffers in Africa are threatening to sue the company for failing to pay out the redundancy money they say they were promised.
Most had only been in the job a matter of months when the social media platform, now known as X, told them they were fired last November.
“It’s difficult when it’s the world’s richest man owing you money and closure,” one of the sacked workers tells the BBC. Read more
Shannon Wilcox, actress in Songwriter, Six Weeks and Dallas, dies at 80 (THR)
Shannon Wilcox, a character actress who appeared alongside Willie Nelson in Songwriter, with Dudley Moore in Six Weeks and opposite Al Pacino in Frankie and Johnny, has died. She was 80.
Wilcox died Sept. 2 in Los Angeles, her daughter, actress-director Kelli Williams — she played attorney Lindsay Dole on The Practice — told The Hollywood Reporter.
A life member of The Actors Studio, Wilcox also portrayed the mother of Elisabeth Shue’s Ali Mills in John G. Avildsen’s The Karate Kid (1994) and worked in many other notable films, among them Tony Richardson’s The Border (1982), Ivan Reitman’s Legal Eagles (1986), Mark Rydell’s For the Boys (1991) and David Fincher’s Seven (1995). Read more
Studios deliver new contract offer to SAG-AFTRA; more talks set for weekend (Deadline)
A new proposal from the studios to try to end the 113-day-old SAG-AFTRA strike has just been delivered to the guild.
The actors guild and the AMPTP have set further negotiations for this weekend, we hear, with studio CEOs expected to participate directly. Anticipation that this could mean a new three-year contract is at hand within the next 48 hours should be “dialed down,” a well-positioned guild source said Friday, as SAG-AFTRA brass must fully review the document before even getting back to the bargaining table.
The latest developments come at the end of a tense week that saw the tone of talks shift toward pessimism as SAG-AFTRA awaited a formal response to its most recent counters. A studio insider late tonight dismissed the anxiety and said the extended time was simply a matter of the powers-that-be wanting to put a full package on the table before the guild. Read more
Beatles release “Now and Then” music video directed by Peter Jackson (UPI)
The Beatles have released a reflective new music video.
Surviving band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr released a video for the group’s “last” new song, “Now and Then,” on Friday.
The “Now and Then” video is directed by Peter Jackson, who previously directed and produced the docuseries The Beatles: Get Back.
The video shows McCartney and Starr recording new parts for the song and features footage of late Beatles members John Lennon and George Harrison. Read more
At least 69 killed after Nepal hit by earthquake, tremors felt in New Delhi (RNZ)
At least 69 people were killed and dozens injured after a strong earthquake struck western Nepal on Friday, as witnesses said it caused houses in the area to collapse and buildings in New Delhi, India to shake.
Jajarkot local official Harish Chandra Sharma said at least 26 people had been killed in his district while in neighbouring Rukum West district, police official Namaraj Bhattarai said at least 28 deaths had been reported.
“Rescue and search teams have to clear roads blocked by dry landslides due to the earthquake to reach the affected areas,” Bhattarai said. Read more
In Lewiston, Biden observes “painful wounds” opened by yet another mass shooting (HuffPost)
President Joe Biden on Friday visited Lewiston, Maine, the site of a mass shooting last month that killed 18 people and injured 13 more ― the deadliest in state history.
“This is about common-sense, reasonable and responsible measures to protect our children, our families, our communities,” Biden said. “Because regardless of our politics, this is about protecting our freedom to go to a bowling alley, a restaurant, a school, a church, without being shot and killed.”
He continued: “As we mourn today in Maine, this tragedy opens painful, painful wounds all across the country. Too many Americans have lost loved ones or survived the trauma of gun violence. I know because Jill and I have met with them in Buffalo, in Uvalde, in Monterey Park, in Sandy Hook ― too many to count. From places that never make the news, all across America.” Read more
World Cup Qualifiers: Peseiro gets Chukwueze boost (Punch)
Ahead of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifier games against Lesotho and Mozambique, Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has been handed a major boost after it was confirmed that AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze will be available for selection, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Chukwueze sustained an injury in October while playing for Nigeria in an international friendly match against Saudi Arabia in Portugal.
However, it appears the winger has now recovered from the injury and will be back next week for AC Milan’s Champions League clash against French giants Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Read more
Napoli wait on Osimhen as future shrouded in doubt (Channels)
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is due to return to Italy next week to continue his recovery from injury as speculation intensifies over his future with the Serie A champions.
Osimhen, who finished eighth in this year’s Ballon d’Or voting, has made no secret of his “dream” of playing in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Manchester United reportedly pursuing the Nigerian.
The 24-year-old has been out since picking up a hamstring injury on international duty in a friendly against Saudi Arabia on October 13. Read more
Marcus Rashford tells Erik ten Hag sorry for “unacceptable” night out after City loss (Mirror)
Marcus Rashford has told Erik ten Hag he is sorry after he was out celebrating his birthday just hours after Manchester United were dismantled by bitter rivals Manchester City.
City put United to the sword on their own turf, and Rashford was then spotted attending an event at Manchester’s Chinawhite to celebrate his 26th birthday, which was on Tuesday. “I am aware of it, I spoke with him about it,” Ten Hag said ahead of United’s clash with Fulham.
“It is unacceptable. I told him, he apologised and that is it. It is an internal matter.” Read more
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says women’s sport has problem with body shaming after Fran Kirby admission (Sky)
Emma Hayes says there is a “problem in the game” with body shaming and praised Chelsea forward Fran Kirby for speaking out on the issue.
In Chelsea’s A Comeback: Nothing Stops Us Documentary detailing Kirby’s rehabilitation from knee surgery, the England international said it “has become more noticeable that people are getting comments about their weight” and how there was a “fear” of carbohydrates in the women’s game due to possible weight gain.
In one clip, Kirby is asked why she is wearing a jacket over her training kit and responds by saying: “Because I get called fat all the time, so I have to cover it up.” Read more
Interlagos grandstand roof collapses in rainstorm at F1’s Sao Paulo GP (ESPN)
Formula One appeared to avoid a major incident when the roof of at least one grandstand collapsed in heavy winds during qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Friday.
Conditions at Interlagos went from overcast to dark and stormy in a matter of minutes on Saturday afternoon, right in the middle of the Q3 session — the final of three segments of qualifying.
That prompted F1 to cut the session short. Read more
Coco Gauff overcomes 17 double-faults and a deficit at the WTA Finals to beat Marketa Vondrousova (TorontoStar)
Coco Gauff overcame 17 double-faults and came back after being a game away from elimination at the WTA Finals on Friday, eventually pulling out a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in a round-robin match to stay in contention for a semifinal berth.
“Mental toughness is the biggest thing I’m pleased with,” Gauff said. “That was a tough match. She’s not an easy player. Not easy conditions. And I stayed in there, every point, just fighting.”
Gauff, the 19-year-old from Florida who won the U.S. Open in September, dropped four consecutive games and 16 of 21 points to go from leading the opening set to dropping it and trailing 1-0 in the next. Read more