NRC decries vandalisation of over 100,000 rail tracks in Lagos, Abuja (Sun)
The management of Nigerian Railway Corporation yesterday decried the incessant vandalisation of modern rail tracks across the country.
The Corporation disclosed that over 100, 000 modern rail tracks were vandalised in Lagos and Abuja during the year under review.
Reports of rail tracks and clips being removed by hoodlums are being reported throughout the parts of Nigeria where railways are found. Read more
Gov Aiyedatiwa pays condolence visit to Akeredolu’s family (Channels)
Newly sworn-in Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has paid a condolence visit to the family of his late predecessor Rotimi Akeredolu in Ibadan Oyo State.
Akeredolu died on Wednesday after battling an illness with Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, taking over the mantle of leadership on the same day.
Hours after his principal’s demise, Aiyedatiwa led some members of the State Executive Council and Ondo State House of Assembly members to commiserate with the Akeredolu family over the sad incident. Read more
Killings: FG orders humanitarian relief to affected Plateau communities (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government has ordered an immediate release of humanitarian relief to the Plateau communities affected by the recent attacks.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in Abuja.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria strongly condemns the recent killings in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State. Read more
MohBad will reincarnate in 3 years’ time, says Adetoun (Nation)
Popular human right activist, Adetoun Onajobi, has claimed that late rapper, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka MohBad has finally found rest but would be returning in three years into another family.
Adetoun was spotted in a viral video saying that MohBad still wishes to return to the world.
The activist, who dubbed herself a prophetess, made a startling revelation, alleging that Mohbad’s spirit sought refuge in a pregnant woman’s body for a comeback, only to be rebuffed by her refusal. Read more
Na’abba, Akeredolu: We’ve lost two giants, says Olawepo-Hashim (Vanguard)
A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Presidential Candidate, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has described the death of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, and Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, as a huge loss to Nigeria’s politics and democracy.
Reason: The duo were political giants who bestrode the nation’s political landscape.
In a statement, he said that Na’ Abba was a patriot, selfless politician, and true democrat who sacrificed his ambition by repelling dictatorship and instituting the independence of the Legislature. Read more
Gov Oyebanji signs N159.5b Ekiti 2024 budget into law (Channels)
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Wednesday, signed into law the 2024 appropriation Bill with an assurance that his administration is fully prepared to implement the budget for the realisation of his administration’s shared prosperity agenda.
The 2024 Appropriation, Christened ‘Budget of Sustainable Growth and Development’ was presented to the governor by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, and other principal officers at the Exco Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti.
The 2024 Budget estimate is N159,572,481,915.51, out of which 56% is appropriated for Recurrent Expenditure and 44% for Capital Expenditure. Read more
Kano court bars council chairman from office over abuse allegations (Leadership)
A Kano High Court has issued an interim order barring Honorable Khalid Ishaq Diso from acting as the Gwale Local Government Council Chairman.
Lawyer Bala Nomau’s ex parte application led to the ruling by Justice Aisha Ibrahim Mahmoud.
The court’s directive explicitly prohibits Hon. Khalid Ishaq Diso, along with his representatives, agents, privies, and associates, from assuming any role as the Local Government Council Chairman pending the hearing of the motion on notice. Read more
Dickson does not play godfather in Bayelsa – Diri (Sun)
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has declared that his predecessor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has refused to act as godfather in the state giving the role he played in his emergence as governor.
Dickson as governor in 2019 had brushed aside stiff opposition within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and even stepped on toes of other close political associates to instal Diri as the party’s flag bearer in the November 2019 governorship election.
Diri speaking at Toru- Orua, Sgbama Local Government Area during the traditional Christmas visit to Dickson’s country home, admitted that the former governor does not act like a political godfather. Read more
Abia gov signs N567.2b 2024 budget into law (Punch)
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has signed the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N567.2 billion, recently passed by the State House of Assembly into law.
While signing the bill on Thursday, Otti said the 2024 Budget would move Abia from its current level of underdevelopment to development.
“I want to say that this is a budget that would take Abia State out of underdevelopment to development. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. This is the first step, once we get things right, and we know we will get them right, the next few years will be Uhuru for all our people, those living here and those who come from here and our friends,” the Governor declared. Read more
Ariana Grande gets dinner in New York City with boyfriend Ethan Slater and her dad (Mirror)
Ariana Grande and her boyfriend Ethan Slater went out for a romantic double date in New York City with her dad, Ed Butera, and his girlfriend.
The Into You singer and Ethan have been dating for months after meeting on set for the movie musical Wicked, in which Ariana plays Glinda and Ethan portrays Boq. Both of them were married to other people when they met – Ariana with real estate agent Dalton Gomez and Ethan with his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay.
It’s not clear when their relationship started, but Ethan filed for divorce from Lilly Jay in July, and Ariana and Dalton filed for divorce in September after reportedly separating in January of this year. Read more
Armani Caesar announces pregnancy with sexy baby bump reveal (HipHopDx)
Armani Caesar celebrated Christmas this year by revealing that she’s pregnant.
The Griselda rapper took to Instagram on Christmas Day (December 25) with a sexy baby bump reveal for her half a million followers.
“From Mani to Mommy,” she wrote underneath a photo of her flaunting her pregnant belly while wearing lacy underwear and a frilly robe. “Merry Christmas.” Read more
Israel embassy pulls ‘inappropriate’ video imagining Hamas attack on Seoul (AlJazeera)
The Israeli embassy in South Korea has deleted a video it produced showing an imaginary attack on Seoul by masked assailants it seemed to liken to Hamas, after concerns raised by the South Korean government.
The video, which was posted on the Israeli embassy’s social media channels on Tuesday, was deleted on Wednesday, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs confirmed to the AFP news agency on Thursday that it asked the Israeli embassy to take it down. Read more
Pierce Brosnan to appear in court after allegedly violating rules at Yellowstone National Park (FilmNews)
Pierce Brosnan is set to appear in court in January after allegedly entering an off-limits area of Yellowstone National Park.
The James Bond actor, 70, received citations on Tuesday for allegedly hiking off-trial and entering a protected thermal area of the national park in November.
According to a criminal docket filed in the U.S. District Court in Wyoming, the Mamma Mia! actor received citations for travelling by foot “in all thermal areas and w/in Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails” and “violating closures and use limits” on 1 November. Read more
Gypsy Rose Blanchard released from prison early after serving time for the murder of her abusive mother (NBC)
Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the Missouri woman who plotted to kill her mother who had abused her and forced her to fake serious illnesses in a case that sparked a frenzy and inspired a TV series, was released from prison early Thursday.
Blanchard, 32, was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center at 3:30 a.m., the Missouri Department of Corrections said. She was granted parole and released three years before her original release date, a spokesperson said.
Blanchard had been serving a 10-year sentence on a second-degree murder charge for the June 2015 slaying of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. Read more
Oprah Winfrey shares why she chose not to appear in new Color Purple movie (People)
Fans of the original The Color Purple were no doubt delighted to see Whoopi Goldberg make a surprise cameo in the new musical reimagining. So why didn’t Goldberg’s costar in the original, Oprah Winfrey, also have a cameo?
The media mogul, 69, and Goldberg, 68, played Sofia and Celie, respectively, in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 movie, an adaptation of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel.
Winfrey, who produced the new film, recently told The Hollywood Reporter that she did consider making an appearance in it. Read more
Rapper at ‘almost naked party’ jailed in Russia as part of Putin anti-gay crackdown (Independent)
A Russian rapper has been jailed after attending an “almost naked” party in a Moscow nightclub as Vladimir Putin cracks down on gay rights.
TV presenter Anastasia Ivleeva, also known as Nastya Ivleeva, threw a private “Almost Naked Party” at Moscow’s Mutabor nightclub on 20 December, which went viral after pictures began circulating on social media.
Nikolai Vasilyev, a rapper known as Vacio who attended wearing only a sock to “protect his modesty”, was jailed for 15 days and fined 200,000 roubles (£1,716) for promoting “non-traditional sexual relations”. Read more
Why ‘rare talent’ Udogie has been such a hit at Spurs (BBC)
Udinese needed only a handful of matches to decide Destiny Udogie was a rare talent.
Demonstrating strength and creativity for Hellas Verona, they immediately set in motion plans to sign a youngster who already had local observers excitedly talking of a burgeoning talent.
Udinese have a sophisticated scouting network that has yielded some fine players including Alexis Sanchez and Rodrigo de Paul, but on this occasion they did not need to travel far to scout their newest recruit. Read more
Osimhen ‘‘forgiven’’ for red card incident, says Napoli coach (Guardian)
Napoli head coach Walter Mazzarri has said he has pardoned Victor Osimhen for receiving a red card against AS Roma.
Osimhen was given his marching orders after collecting a second yellow card in Napoli’s 2-0 defeat at AS Roma.
Napoli went into the game against Roma hoping to bounce back from the shock 4-0 loss at home to Frosinone in the Coppa Italia. Read more
Arsenal reportedly want wonderkid who has already given ‘wonderful’ Gunners transfer verdict (HitC)
Arsenal are interested in signing Ajax defender Jorrel Hato after he admitted wanting to follow in the footsteps of Jurrien Timber.
Arsenal continue to look at potential defensive signings with the January window just days away.
Both Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu are out with injuries right now in major blows for Mikel Arteta. Read more
Super Eagles are always favourites to win AFCON title — Mikel (CompleteSports)
John Mikel Obi has said the Super Eagles are among the favourites to clinch the title at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Jose Peseiro’s men will be looking to win a fourth title when hostilities start in Cote d’Ivoire in January.
Mikel, who was part of the side that conquered Africa in South Africa 10 years ago, claimed the Super Eagles will always go into the AFCON as favourites. Read more
Son Heung-min leads South Korea squad for 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar (National)
South Korea manager Jurgen Klinsmann said it is “about time” the team ended their 64-year wait for an Asian Cup title after the German named his squad for next month’s tournament in Qatar.
Leading the 26-player squad is captain and star player Son Heung-min, who has rediscovered his best form this season at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, where he is also skipper.
Son will be ably supported in attack by in-form Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan, who scored his 10th Premier League goal of the season against Brentford on Wednesday. Read more
F1 drivers vote Verstappen as best driver of 2023 (RN365)
Max Verstappen has been voted as the best Formula 1 driver of 2023 by his peers, with World Championship runner-up Sergio Perez only 10th.
In an annual vote carried out by F1, Verstappen came out on top after a dominant season in which he broke the records for most wins, points, laps led and points gap to second place.
The Red Bull driver had previously won the vote in his two-title winning campaigns and made it a hat-trick in the 2023 vote. Read more