Police arrest seven over attacks on Lagos task force officials (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command said it had arrested seven suspects over the attacks on men of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit.
The officials had gone to the Second Rainbow area of FESTAC town and the Ikeja Along area on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, to enforce the state traffic law and impound motorcycles.
However, the agency met resistance from the riders, who allegedly attacked some of the personnel.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Thursday, said seven suspects were arrested in connection with the incidents, adding that they would be charged to court to serve as a deterrent to people who were fond of attacking security operatives on lawful duties. Read more
#EndSARS protester, Eromosele regains freedom (Thisday)
An #EndSARS protester, Mr. Peter Eromosele Adene, yesterday regained his freedom after spending 12 days in police custody.
One of the lawyers who provided legal aid to the protesters, Moe Odele, shared a video showing a once-again freed Eromosele via her Twitter handle yesterday.
Eromosele, who was arrested on November 7 by the police in Lagos, was released from police detention on the order of a Magistrate Court in Yaba.
Plot by the police to remand Eromosele for 30 days was Monday uncovered by his lawyer. Read more
N450,000 bill: Husband flees, abandons wife, triplets in Anambra hospital (Punch)
A man, Sunday Odinaka, has reportedly abandoned his wife, Evelyn, after she was delivered of a set of triplets in a private hospital in Okpoko, in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Sunday, a native of Ubaraekwem, in the Ihiala LGA of the state, was said to have fled his residence on Obodoukwu Road following his inability to meet up with the hospital bill of over N450,000.
A source said, “Before the birth of the triplets — two boys and a girl — the couple had four kids. They were compelled to withdraw their children from school due to financial problems.” Read more
Buhari, Okowa, Ekweremadu, Omokri hail Jonathan at 63 (Thisday)
President Muhammadu Buhari; Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa; Senator Ike Ekweremadu and a former aide to the ex-president, Mr Reno Omokri yesterday rejoiced with former President Goodluck Jonathan on the occasion of his 63rd birthday anniversary holding today (Friday).
Buhari, in his congratulatory message, said Jonathan’s life of service has brought honour and goodwill to the country. Read more
FG insists no massacre in Lekki on October 20 (Punch)
The Federal Government on Thursday insisted that there was no massacre when soldiers dispersed #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, on October 20, 2020.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this at a press conference in Abuja.
Mohammed attributed the reports of massacre to those he described as purveyors of fake news.
The minister said, “While we await the judicial panel in Lagos to unravel what transpired at the Lekki Tollgate, what we can say, based on testimonies available in the public space, is that the world may have just witnessed, for the very first time ever, a massacre without bodies! Read more
Gbajabiamila doles out cash, security aide kills beneficiary (Punch)
A security aide to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has allegedly shot a newspaper vendor in the head.
The incident, which occurred at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, around 3pm on Thursday, caused panic in the area.
The victim, identified as Ifeanyi Okereke, was subsequently rushed to the National Hospital by his brother and some police officers, where he reportedly died.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the shooting happened when Okereke and other street vendors selling on the Shehu Shagari Way, Three Arms Zone, flocked around the convoy of the Speaker, who was said to be in the habit of giving out money anytime he passed them. Read more
Nigeria, Niger Republic sign MoU on petrol transportation, storage (Thisday)
The federal government and the Republic of Niger yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for petroleum products transportation and storage.
Nigeria and Niger Republic had been holding talks for over four months through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Niger Republic’s Societe Nigerienne De Petrole on petroleum products transportation and storage.
Niger Republic’s Soraz Refinery in Zinder, some 260kilometres from the Nigerian border, has an installed refining capacity of 20,000 barrels per day.
Niger’s total domestic requirement is about 5,000bpd, thus leaving a huge surplus of about 15,000bpd, mostly for export. Read more
US MOSOP celebrates Saro-Wiwa, others, seeks their exoneration (Guardian)
The United States (US) chapter of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has celebrated Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists that were killed by the late General Sani Abacha military junta 25 years ago.
The group also joined the Ogoni around the world and people of goodwill to demand the exoneration of the nine compatriots murdered on November 10, 1995, without investigation and denied the appeal for 30-day clemency.
Chairman of MOSOP, U.S. chapter, Anderson K. Ngbobu, at a media briefing in New York, said the group commended the Commonwealth of Nations, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Read more
Newly discovered sketch of Jesus Christ likely a da Vinci masterpiece (Metro)
A newly discovered sketch of Jesus Christ is likely to be a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, experts have claimed. Italian researchers are ‘absolutely convinced’ a red-chalk drawing depicting the son of God is the work of the Renaissance master widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time. The piece was held in a private collection in Lombardy, Italy, before it was recently sold to two collectors from Lecco in northern Italy, The Telegraph reports. After conducting tests, experts found the paper dates back to the 16th century, around the time da Vinci sketched ‘Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk’ in a similar style and medium. Read more
Booker Prize 2020: Douglas Stuart’s novel Shuggie Bain wins (BBC)
Douglas Stuart has won the Booker Prize for Shuggie Bain, his debut novel about a boy in 1980s Glasgow trying to support his mother as she struggles with addiction and poverty.
Chair of judges Margaret Busby said the judges’ decision was unanimous and they only “took an hour to decide”.
The book is “challenging, intimate and gripping… anyone who reads it will never feel the same” she said.
Stuart, 44, said he was “absolutely stunned” to win. Read more
UK terrorism chief calls for ‘national debate’ on criminalizing doubts about Covid-19 vaccine (RT)
The UK’s top counter-terrorism cop has suggested society stop allowing people to question the wisdom of a rapid Covid-19 vaccine rollout, regarding such skepticism to be life-threatening “misinformation.”
Met Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu has pointedly questioned whether it is “the correct thing for society to allow” the sharing of “misinformation that could cost people’s lives” — demonizing all doubts about quickly developed Covid-19 vaccines whose potential long-term effects are not yet known and tying them to extremist radicalization efforts.
While he didn’t go so far as to call for a law to be passed banning such content, his suggestion of a “national debate” will presumably light a fire under ministers already mulling such legislation. Read more
Probe after Pope’s Insta account ‘likes’ model (BBC)
The Vatican has said it is investigating after the Pope’s official Instagram account “liked” a photo of a scantily clad Brazilian model.
It is unclear when the account “liked” the image of Natalia Garibotto, who was dressed up in a school uniform outfit.
News outlets first started reporting the move last Friday, before the image was “unliked” on the platform.
Officials in the Holy See are now reportedly investigating how this could have happened on the Pope’s account. Read more
Lori Loughlin’s husband Mossimo Giannulli begins five-month prison sentence for admissions scandal (Metro)
Lori Loughlin’s husband Mossimo Giannulli has reported to prison after pleading guilty for his part in the college admissions scandal.
The fashion designer surrendered to The Federal Correctional Institution in California on Thursday, according to Associated Press.
Earlier this year, Giannulli pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of honest services wire and mail fraud.
As part of his sentence, Giannulli will also pay a $250,000 (£225k) fine and will serve 250 hours of community service. Read more
Tehran adds ‘aircraft carrier warship’ to Iran’s navy amid rising tensions with Washington (RT)
Iranian military officials claim the country has bolstered its navy with the introduction of a new warship capable of carrying aircraft, drones, helicopters, and missiles, according to a statement issued on Thursday.
The 150-meter Shahid Roudaki vessel is “ready to carry out missions,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on its website.
The IRGC’s existing fleet mainly comprises small vessels off the Iranian coast and near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic choke point on a major international oil and gas shipping route. Read more
TikTok star Charli D’Amelio loses 1m followers after personal chef video backlash (NYPost)
Charli D’Amelio has hit a major snag on her way to 100 million followers.
The 16-year-old TikTok sensation — who boasts the highest follower count on the popular social media platform — appears to be the latest celebrity to get canceled. She’s hemorrhaged 1 million followers after what some perceived as offensive remarks and an overall snotty attitude.
The petty drama started when the D’Amelio family posted a video to their YouTube channel Monday that went viral for depicting a cringeworthy dinner-table disagreement with her parents, Marc and Heidi, her sister, Dixie, fellow TikToker James Charles and personal chef Aaron May. Read more
ATP Finals: Rafael Nadal reacts after downing Stefanos Tsitsipas to book semi-finals spot (Metro)
Rafael Nadal felt he produced a ‘great level’ of tennis in the majority of the first two sets of his three-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas and was ultimately delighted to dig deep in a 6-4 4-6 6-2 tussle as he set up a semi-final clash with Daniil Medvedev.
Nadal, the 20-time Grand Slam champion from Spain, served remarkably well for two thirds of the match but after only dropping a single point on serve in his first four service games of the second set he wobbled and allowed his Greek opponent to level the match.
He was broken again in his first service game of the decider but his Greek opponent was also struggling and Nadal eventually surged through – something he, rightly, felt he deserved on balance. Read more
Andre Ayew: Swansea boss Steve Cooper allays striker injury fears (BBC)
Swansea City have played down any long-term injury concerns over striker Andre Ayew.
Head coach Steve Cooper said Ayew’s return from international duty with Ghana was precautionary because of muscle fatigue.
Ayew, 30, is a doubt for Saturday’s Championship fixture with Rotherham, but Ben Cabango is fit following his own hamstring problem.
The Wales defender pulled out of the recent Nations League fixtures.
Cooper says he will wait before making a decision on the availability of top-scorer Ayew who missed Ghana’s 1-0 Afcon qualifier defeat by Sudan on Thursday having scored both goals in the Black Stars’ 2-0 win earlier in the week. Read more
David Luiz hits Arsenal team-mate Dani Ceballos in shocking training ground fight (Metro)
David Luiz reportedly hit Arsenal team-mate Dani Ceballos in a shocking training ground bust-up during the international break and staff had to step in to diffuse the fight. Brazilian defender Luiz and Spanish midfielder Ceballos were among the group of Arsenal players who were not away on international duty and therefore continued training under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners boss organised a practice match last Friday but he would have been less than impressed with two of his player’s behaviour as Luiz and Ceballos clashed. Read more
USA Gymnastics allow trans athletes to compete without surgery (RT)
USA Gymnastics policy changes allowing trans athletes to compete in disciplines aligning with gender identity without sex reassignment surgery or hormone treatment is a disgusting violation of women’s rights to appease a minority.
In a familiar tale of the perennial battle to establish super-inclusive safe spaces at the expense of logic or the safety and rights of others, USA Gymnastics (USAG) on Tuesday pledged to remove “surgical sex reassignment, legal gender recognition, and hormone therapy requirements” as requirements for transgender athletes to compete in disciplines they consider align with their gender identity. Read more
Furious Arsenal ‘could block Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from future international duty’ (Metro)
Arsenal have reacted angrily to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s recent issues on international duty with Gabon, with the national team manager suggesting he could be blocked from future call-ups. The Gunners skipper uploaded a series of images to his Instagram stories on Sunday evening showing him and his teammates having to sleep on the floor of Gambia’s Banjul International Airport after not being allowed into the country. Gabon were due to play an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier the next day and were made to stay at the airport overnight before finally being allowed to board the team bus at 6 am, some six hours after arriving. Read more
Each fanless match costs Dortmund four million euros (Guardian)
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Waztke revealed Thursday that each home game held without fans costs the Bundesliga club four million euros ($4.7 million) in lost revenue.
Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park is the biggest stadium in Germany and can host 81,000 spectators.
Fans are currently locked out of all Bundesliga matches as part of government measures to restrict the spread of the coronavirus.
Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up closed the 2019/20 financial year with a loss of 44 million euros after last season was disrupted by Covid-19. Read more