Reps move to reduce powers of CBN governor (Vanguard)
A bill to create the position of Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria, separate from the position of the governor, scaled second reading in the House of Representatives yesterday.
Sponsor of the bill, Francis Waive, who spoke at plenary in Abuja, said there was need to amend Section 6 to separate both positions, so the governor could be checked and not have all the powers.
The bill also proposed that in the event of the need for currency swap or naira redesign, as witnessed from late last year to early this year, the bank would be directed to call in its notes or coins, subject to a notice of not less than one year. Read more
FG, Lagos flag off Third Mainland Bridge repairs (Guardian)
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has urged Lagos residents to be prepared for the inconvenience caused by the repairs of the state’s busiest artery, the Third Mainland Bridge.
The repair, which has seen the shutdown of a part of the bridge, inwards Island, is estimated to last a duration of five weeks.
At the flag off of the emergency repairs of the bad portion, he applauded the Federal Minister of Works for the commitment to Nigerian road users. Read more
Sanwo-Olu woos investors at African business forum (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reached out to investors in Africa and across the world to invest in the state’s infrastructure, promising huge returns on investment.
The governor, who spoke at the ongoing Africa Investment Forum in Marrakech, Morocco, with the theme, ‘Leveraging Cities and Municipalities for National Development,’ noted that Lagos welcomes investment in new areas of transport infrastructure, especially in rail lines.
A statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, stated that Sanwo-Olu, during a panel discussion moderated by the African Development Bank’s Senior Advisor on Communication and Stakeholder Engagement, Dr Victor Oladokun, told panellists that his administration was making efforts to address infrastructure deficit facing the state by committing short- and long-term investments in critical areas to bolster the state’s resilience and aid mass mobility. Read more
Assault on Ajaero regrettable – Uzodimma (DailyTrust)
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said the assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, is regrettable.
Uzodimma stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, on Thursday.
Ajaero was beaten after he was arrested in Imo while leading a protest for better salaries in the state. Read more
Lagos begins headcount for primary school pupils (NewTelegraph)
The Lagos State Government will soon commence a statewide census for public primary school pupils.
The exercise which is scheduled to commence on Monday, November 13 and ends on Thursday, November 16 will take place across 1020 public primary schools in the state.
The census will provide the state government with first-hand demographic information which will aid the state in making adequate planning for the primary education sector. Read more
Military warns miscreants to stay off (Nation)
Anybody or group planning to disrupt tomorrow’s off-season elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states would face the consequences of their action, Defence Headquarters (DHQ) warned yesterday.
It said the military is aware of plans by miscreants to disguise themselves in military uniforms in order to disrupt the election process.
The military high command spoke through the Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, during a briefing at Defence Headquarters Abuja. Read more
Lawmakers move to investigate maltreatment of Nigerians in Benin Republic (Independent)
The Nigerian House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights and Diaspora to investigate the allegations of incessant mistreatment of Nigerians living in the Republic of Benin.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion titled, “Illegal Incarceration of Okumah Chika and Discriminatory Arrests of Nigerians in the Republic of Benin.”
It was sponsored by Hon. O. K Chinda, Hon. Fred Agbedi, Hon. Bitrus Laon, Hon.Abdulsalam Dasuki, Hon. Felix Nwaeke, Hon. Kelechi Nwogu, Hon. Guger Onwusibe Hon. Mark Esset Hon. Rodney A., Hon. Nkewonta and Hon. Patrick Umoh. Read more
Flight Ban: There should be consequences, say Imo Elders (Channels)
The Imo Elders Council says there should be consequences for the action of the Organised Labour in Imo State.
The group on Thursday described as “unprecedented in the history of the world” the action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), banning flights in the state and shutting down electricity in protest against an assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero.
One of the elders, who addressed the press in Owerri, the state capital, Senator Chris Anyanwu said the wise thing for Ajaero and Labour to do is to go to the roundtable with the government and resolve all outstanding issues. Read more
Dua Lipa returns with new single ‘‘Houdini’’ (NME)
Dua Lipa has returned to music with the release of her highly anticipated single ‘Houdini’ marking a new era for the pop star.
Written by Lipa, Caroline Ailin (Ellie Goulding, Katy Perry), Danny L. Harle (Caroline Polachek), Tobias Jesso Jr. (Harry Styles, King Princess, FKA Twigs), and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, as well as produced by Parker and Hale, the track paves the way for the pop singer’s new era.
According to a press release, Lipa said: “‘Houdini’ embodies that 4am feeling when the night is coming to a close and you’re a bit sweaty, but you just don’t want the party to end.” Read more
Robert De Niro’s company found liable in former assistant’s gender discrimination lawsuit (NBC)
A jury has ordered Robert De Niro’s company to pay more than $1.2 million to his former personal assistant after finding his production company engaged in gender discrimination and retaliation.
While the jury found De Niro was not personally liable for the abuse, they ordered his production company, Canal Productions, to make two payments of $632,142 to his longtime personal assistant, Graham Chase Robinson.
De Niro, who spent three days at the two-week trial, including two on the witness stand, has been ensnared in dueling lawsuits with Robinson since she quit in April 2019. He was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read aloud on Thursday afternoon. Read more
Rival protesters brawl outside LA screening of Hamas atrocities footage (TimesOfIsrael)
Fistfights broke out Wednesday night outside a Holocaust museum in Los Angeles that was screening footage of Hamas’s October 7 massacre of southern communities, after pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters demonstrated against what they said was a “Gal Gadot military propaganda video.”
Several people were reportedly pepper-sprayed and detained by police following the Museum of Tolerance screening of “Bearing Witness,” a 45-minute compilation of footage largely from cameras carried by Hamas terrorists when they brutally murdered Israeli civilians on October 7. About 1,400 Israelis were killed in the devastating onslaught and at least 240 were taken hostage in Gaza, which Israel has invaded with a stated goal of eliminating Hamas.
An LAPD helicopter reportedly circulated overhead and ordered protesters to disperse. In footage of the confrontations circulating online, one pro-Israel protester sexually harassed a Jewish woman who demonstrated with pro-Palestinian protesters and accused her of being “Arab.” Read more
Maya Hawke brings chaos as voice of new emotion Anxiety in “Inside Out 2” trailer (BelfastTelegraph)
Maya Hawke can be heard voicing chaotic new character Anxiety in the first trailer for animated film “Inside Out 2”.
The movie follows Riley whose world was turned upside-down in the first Pixar film after her parents moved them to San Francisco.
The teaser for the sequel, released on Thursday, shows Hawke’s character unexpectedly appearing in the mind of Riley who, now a teenager, is dealing with a variety of emotions. Read more
Republicans demand Biden challenge China’s Xi on fentanyl, prisoners at Apec meeting (StraitsTimes)
Republicans in the US Congress urged President Joe Biden to make demands of China’s leader Xi Jinping over detained Americans and other issues when they meet next week in San Francisco, arguing that Washington’s push to engage Beijing had “negligible benefit”.
The Biden-Xi meeting around events at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum will follow a series of largely unreciprocated US Cabinet-level visits to China, as the US seeks to recover from a diplomatic crisis over its downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States in February.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress have offered sometimes different approaches for countering China’s growing economic and military might despite bipartisan consensus on the need to do so. Read more
Frank Ocean’s new music tease gets fans emotional (BBC)
It’s been over three years since Frank Ocean last released a new single.
But now it looks like he could be making a comeback after he posted a one-minute teaser of a new song on his Instagram story.
The singer has played out unreleased tracks on his Apple Music radio show since his last, but none have been officially published.
And the snippet has caused a wave of reaction from his fans, who were shocked to see him drop new material. Read more
Zac Efron responds to Matthew Perry’s wish that he play him in a biopic (NME)
Zac Efron has responded to the reports that late Friends star Matthew Perry wanted him to play him in a biopic.
News that the actor had named Zac Efron as his first choice to depict him in a biopic arose last week (November 2), when one of his close acquaintances, Athenna Crosby, spoke with Entertainment Tonight.
The interview took place after the Friends actor was found dead in his Los Angeles home on October 28. He was aged 54 and the death has been linked to an apparent drowning. Read more
Austria invite Lawal, dash Eagles hope (Punch)
The hopes of having LASK and Austria-born goalkeeper, Tobias Lawal, invited into the Supers Eagles is heading for the rocks after the LASK goalie was handed a call-up by the Austrian national team for their 2024 Euro qualifiers against Estonia and another friendly against Germany, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Lawal has been handed his first call-up by coach Ralf Rangnick as the Unsere Burschen seek a fourth appearance at the European championships.
The 23-year-old, who was born in Linz to a Nigerian father and Austrian mother, was earlier invited by former Eagles coach Gernot Rohr in 2020 but couldn’t feature due to passport issues. Read more
2026 World Cup: Peseiro invites Okoye, Boniface, 21 others for Lesotho, Zimbabwe clashes (Leadership)
Super Eagles head coach, Jose Santos Peseiro, has invited goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Olaoluwa Aina, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka, and forwards Moses Simon, Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and Liverkusen starman Victor Boniface among a list of 23 players for this month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
The list unveiled Thursday night also has goalkeepers Francis Uzoho and Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielder Raphael Onyedika and forwards Ademola Lookman and Terem Moffi.
Defender Jamilu Collins makes a return after a long lay-off due to injury, and there is a first-ever call for Bayer Leverkusen of Germany forward Nathan Tella. Spain-based striker Sadiq Umar also makes a return after a long absence. Read more
Liverpool loses 3-2 to Toulouse, West Ham and Marseille top of their groups (France24)
Luis Diaz started for Liverpool hours after his kidnapped father was released but lost 3-2 to Toulouse on Thursday as West Ham ensured they have European football in 2024 and Leverkusen progress.
The stunning upset in France came courtesy of goals from Aron Donnum, Thijs Dallinga and Frank Magri as Liverpool sank to their first defeat in the Europa League this campaign.
However, the game was not without controversy with VAR intervening to rule out an equaliser deep in injury-time from Jarell Quansah. Read more
England boss Gareth Southgate says Reece James’ decision to miss internationals is a risk, while Aaron Ramsdale needs Arsenal game time (Sky)
Gareth Southgate says Reece James has taken a risk by opting not to join up with England this month and suggested Aaron Ramsdale needs regular game time to make his Euros squad.
The Three Lions boss told the written media on Thursday he had been hoping to call up Chelsea captain James but the 23-year-old preferred to skip the European Championship qualifiers with Malta and North Macedonia to focus on his fitness.
The right-back – who missed the World Cup with a knee problem – has only just returned to club football after a long hamstring injury which disrupted his start to this season. Read more
Red Bull urged to follow Mercedes’ lead as F1 legend tees up major twist (Express)
F1 legend Ross Brawn has urged Red Bull to follow in the footsteps of Mercedes and have two ‘number one’ drivers in their line-up next season, suggesting that Christian Horner should think about letting Sergio Perez go at the end of the year.
Perez’s long-term F1 future has been an ongoing debate throughout the season with the Mexican struggling to hold a candle to team-mate Max Verstappen’s performances and results. Since claiming his second victory in the space of four races at the start of the campaign, the 33-year-old has failed to register another.
With Checo now 266 points behind his team-mate, questions have been raised about the plausibility of keeping him in the second seat for 2024, especially if McLaren are to pose a more consistent and substantial threat in the Constructors’ Championship fight. Read more
Vince McMahon to sell $700m of TKO stock (Sportico)
Vince McMahon is cashing out a big chunk of the stock he received from the sale of WWE, according to Variety.
McMahon, the former CEO of WWE, intends to sell 8.4 million shares of Class A common stock in TKO Group Holdings, the company formed by the merger of WWE and UFC, which was engineered by Endeavor (owner of UFC). Those shares are currently worth about $713 million at TKO’s most recent closing share price.
McMahon “will receive all of the net proceeds from this offering,” TKO said in a filing Thursday with the SEC. The stock sale represents about 30% of the 28 million shares McMahon owned in TKO as of August, per a regulatory filing. Read more