Police cancel political rallies in Kano as violence escalates (DailyTrust)
The Kano State Police Command has cancelled all political rallies in the state following clashes between supporters of the ruling All Progressive Congress and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The ruling APC and the leading opposition NNPP had planned for their grand finale on Thursday ahead of Saturday presidential and national assembly elections.
The police authorities had invited the leadership of the trio of APC, PDP and NNPP for an emergency meeting where they were cautioned of possible security threats in the state. Read more
ADC releases 5,000 polling agents for Peter Obi in Rivers (Vanguard)
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has announced the release of 5,000 of its agents to stand for the Labour Party, LP’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, in the Saturday’s poll in the state.
The party in the state disclosed this in Port Harcourt, while announcing that it would stand and work for Peter Obi.
Speaking, the governorship candidate of ADC in the state, Chief Tonye Ibraye, urged party faithful in the state to stand for the LP presidential candidate. Read more
2023: We haven’t collapsed structure to support Tinubu, APC – Lagos ADP (Independent)
The Lagos State chapter of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has debunked claims that its party had collapsed its structure to support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the ruling party.
Nasir Adewale Bolaji, Lagos State chairman of the ADP in a press statement on Thursday noted that its attention has been drawn to some online publications in the media space purporting to claim that their great party, ADP in Lagos State has collapsed its structures in support of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
He said, “The said piece of news which was credited to one Mobolaji Olusegun, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) chairman for Lagos State who claimed to represent Southwest Alliance of Registered Political Parties, is totally false and an attempt to distract our great party. Read more
Court remands Young Alhaji in custody for allegedly stealing N950m (Leadership)
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has remanded one Alhaji Usman Abubakar, alias Young Alhaji, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N950 million
Justice Dada ordered that Abubakar be kept in custody pending hearing and determination of his bail application.
The EFCC had arraigned the defendant, Young Alhaji Foundation and Dr. Abu Omer Fawzi (still at large) before the court on a five-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and attempt to steal. Read more
2023 elections: Tinubu presidency won’t be by proxy, says Adamu (Guardian)
The national chairman of the ruling All progressives congress (APC), Sen Abdullahi Adamu comes with assurances that Nigerians would not have a proxy president under the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
In an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, he assured that Tinubu would live up to the expectations of Nigerians if voted into power in the presidential poll on Saturday.
He faulted the notions held in certain quarters that Tinubu is unhealthy and unfit to cope with the rigours of the exalted seat of the presidency if voted into power. Read more
Gunmen attack police station in Abia (Nation)
Gunmen on Thursday invaded and burnt the Ugwunagbo Divisional Headquarters of the Police Force of the Abia State Command.
It was gathered that the two police officers who were on duty at the time of the attack were overpowered by the gunmen who later set the premises ablaze.
It was learnt the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who was also the target of the gunmen, escaped death as he was reportedly not in his quarters during the attack. Read more
Ahead of elections, NDLEA storms Edo forest, destroy 7,286kg skunk after gun battle (Channels)
Ahead of the commencement of the 2023 general elections on Saturday 25th February, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have stormed the Ujiogba Forest Reserve in Esan West LGA, Edo State where they destroyed 7,286 kilograms (72.86 tons) of warehoused skunk and five hectares of its plantation.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the special operation carried out on Wednesday 22nd Feb followed credible intelligence that some cartels had warehoused hundreds of jumbo bags of the illicit substance inside the thick forest of the reserve for distribution to some states ahead of the general elections.
The operation could however not go on immediately until after several roadblocks set up by armed guards of the drug lords were cleared and they were overpowered by the superior firepower of Strike Force officers of the Agency in a gun duel. After the initial resistance, two rifles, spent cartridges of short guns and an empty shell of an AK47 rifle were recovered while a 24-year-old suspect, Calvary Essien, was arrested. Read more
Snow to cover UK from tomorrow as Met Office gives Beast from the East update (Mirror)
Some areas of the UK will see a 90 percent chance of snowfall this week as Brits brace for a big freeze towards the end of this month and into March.
The Met Office has confirmed that a major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event has taken place – which could bring biting cold fronts to the UK like the Beast from the East.
There are also likely to be widespread flurries of snow that could be more than 30cm deep in central and northern Scotland. Read more
Japan’s Suzume stars at Berlinale after 20-year anime hiatus (RFI)
Japanese director Makoto Shinkai admits that he “didn’t have an eye on the global market” when making Suzume.
But he may well be sitting on an international hit with the first Japanese anime to compete in the main competition at the Berlinale since Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away won the Golden Bear in 2002.
Suzume, which follows a teenage girl on a mission to close a series of magical doors to prevent earthquakes, is already a blockbuster at home. Read more
Colin Farrell, Jessie Buckley and Fiona Shaw up for Critics Choice Super Awards (RTE)
Irish stars Colin Farrell, Jessie Buckley and Fiona Shaw have received nominations for the Critics Choice Super Awards, which honour superhero, sci-fi/fantasy, horror and action movies and TV series.
Farrell has been nominated in two categories, Best Actor in a Superhero Movie for The Batman and Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie for After Yang. Buckey has been nominated for Best Actress in a Horror Movie for Men. Shaw gets a nod for Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-For-TV Movie for Andor.
The Batman leads the nominations with six, including Best Superhero Movie. It is up against Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, DC League of Super-Pets, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder. Read more
David Bowie archive of more than 80k items to go on display for the 1st time (Sky)
David Bowie’s costumes, handwritten lyrics, album artwork and awards are among more than 80,000 archived items set to go on display to the public for the first time.
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is setting up The David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts at its upcoming new venue V&A East Storehouse, to showcase the extensive archive from 2025.
Spanning six decades of Bowie’s career, from the 1960s to his death in 2016, the display in east London will provide an up-close look into the cultural icon’s life, work and legacy. Read more
Daft Punk announce 10th anniversary edition of ‘‘Random Access Memories’’ including unreleased music (DJMag)
Daft Punk have announced an expanded 10th anniversary edition of their album, ‘‘Random Access Memories’’ featuring 35 minutes of previously unreleased music.
Set for release on 12th May, the new edition of the five-time Grammy award-winning album will include nine tracks-worth of unheard music, comprising demos and outtakes from the recording sessions.
Originally released in 2013, the album was the iconic French duo’s final full-length before their sudden split in February 2021. The album was a global hit, featuring singles including ‘‘Get Lucky’’, ‘‘Lose Yourself To Dance’’ and ‘‘Doin’ It Right’’. Collaborators on the album included Nile Rodgers, Pharrell, Todd Edwards, Julian Casablances, Giorgio Moroder, Panda Bear and others. Read more
Putin talks deploying Satan II missiles as Ukraine repels Russian attacks (NYPost)
Vladimir Putin on Thursday unveiled plans to expand Russia’s nuclear arsenal by deploying new missiles known as Satan II — as Ukraine’s forces repelled dozens of Russian assaults along the front line on the eve of the first anniversary of the war.
“As before, we will pay increased attention to strengthening the nuclear triad,” Putin said in an address marking the Defender of the Fatherland Day, referring to nuclear missiles based on land, sea and in the air.
“We will continue mass production of air-based hypersonic Kinzhal systems and will start mass supplies of sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles,” he added. Read more
Ahmed Musa pays over N2.5m for hospital bills of patients (Sun)
Nigerian football legend, Ahmed Musa has settled the hospital bills of more than N2.5 million for patients at the Male Surgical ward of the Aminu Kano Teaching hospital.
The Super Eagles captain is known to always give to society considering what he has done for years and keeps doing to help people on the streets.
At the Surgical ward of the Aminu hospital, Musa was touched by the conditions of those on the beds and decided to help them financially. Read more
Football regulator: UK government confirms new independent body (BBC)
Blocking clubs from joining a breakaway European Super League will be among the powers held by English football’s new independent regulator.
The plan for a regulator, recommended by a fan-led review last year, has been confirmed by the UK government.
Preventing historic clubs going out of business is one of the aims, as well as giving fans greater input and a new owners’ and directors’ test. Read more
Man Utd graduate addresses Jose Mourinho youth player reputation (Express)
Former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira has debunked Jose Mourinho’s reputation for limiting youth players’ chances throughout his career. Now thriving at Fulham, the Brazil international has hailed Mourinho’s impact after giving him a chance as a youngster at Old Trafford.
After making 13 appearances under Louis van Gaal, Pereira spent the first two seasons of Mourinho’s reign on loan at Granada and Valencia.
But he started the first game of the Portuguese coach’s third and final season against Leicester in 2018, featuring five more times before his sacking. Read more
Verstappen fastest on opening morning of 2023 F1 testing (ESPN)
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen started the 2023 Formula One season where he left off in 2022 by topping the first morning of testing in Bahrain.
The Red Bull driver set a 1:32.959 — 2.5 seconds off last year’s pole position time at the same circuit — as all 10 teams hit the track with their new cars.
Lap times mean very little this early in testing, but for what it’s worth Carlos Sainz was second fastest for Ferrari, 0.294s off Verstappen. Read more
Carlos Alcaraz’s coach joins the ranks of Novak Djokovic injury doubters (Tennis 365)
Carlos Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero has expressed his doubts about the extent of the injury suffered by Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.
It was widely reported that Novak Djokovic suffered a 3 cm tear to his hamstring after that claim was made by Australian Open director Craig Tiley.
Djokovic himself has not revealed any prognosis, scan results or really issued any sort of update beyond a very basic outline of how he was feeling, although there really is no reason for him to do so but that has only fuelled speculation. Read more