Third Mainland Bridge: Federal Controller announces 24-hour total closure (Vanguard)
The Federal Ministry of Works says both bounds of the carriageways of the Third Mainland Bridge will be closed to traffic from noon on Wednesday to noon on Thursday.
The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, made this known in a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Monday.
She said that the total closure was in continuation of the ongoing rehabilitation works on the bridge. Read more
How I became sexually inactive due to enlarged prostate – Actor Kola Oyewo (Nation)
Veteran actor, Kola Oyewo, has narrated his battle with prostate enlargement and how he survived it.
The prostate gland is the tube through which urine passes out of the body, and an enlarged prostate means the gland has grown bigger.
Prostate enlargement happens to almost all men as they get older.
The condition can cause urination difficulty, bladder stones, and reduced kidney function. Read more
‘‘Rally Goes On,’’ NLC says after last-minute talks with FG (Channels)
A late meeting between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour on Monday night at the State House in Abuja ended in a stalemate.
“The rally goes on and it is part of their constitutional responsibility to ensure that the rally is peaceful,” said the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, after the meeting with government representatives on the eve of the protest.
The meeting, hosted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, was not opened to the media. Read more
Customs temporarily suspend cheap rice sale over stampede (Tribune)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced on Monday the temporary suspension of the food disposal initiative that commenced last Friday.
This decision follows a stampede that occurred, resulting in fatalities and injuries to several potential beneficiaries.
In a statement signed on Monday by the NCS National Spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, the Service stated that the food distribution efforts would resume after an investigation unravels the cause of the stampede that occurred last Friday. Read more
Lagos jails 27 offenders arrested on pedestrian bridges (Punch)
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as KAI, says it has arraigned and secured the conviction of 27 suspected miscreants arrested for unlawful conversion of pedestrian bridges in the state to their abode.
The suspects, after their conviction, were each sentenced to five months imprisonment by the court, according to LAGESC.
The agency said the suspects were arraigned on February 22, 2024, on charges bordering on breach of peace and unlawful conversion of government property. Read more
FCTA to crush impounded vehicles (DailyTrust)
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says it will crush some of the over 130 impounded vehicles that failed integrity tests.
Dr Abdulateef Bello, Director, Department of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), stated this after taking journalists around the impounded vehicles in the various offices in Abuja on Monday.
Bello said that the vehicles would be subjected to standard verification for registration, roadworthiness and other checks, adding that those that fall below minimum standards would be crushed. Read more
NSCDC FCT Command parades 51 illegal miners, 3 telecom mast vandals (Arise)
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 51 suspected illegal miners and three suspected telecommunication mast vandals in the territory.
In a statement, FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu stated that the three suspected vandals were apprehended by the Critical National Assets and infrastructure unit, following a tip-off by the FCT Command intelligence and undercover operatives
He stated that before the decommissioning of any mast, an approval of such act must be obtained from the NSCDC being the lead agency in the protection of critical national asset and infrastructure in the country. Read more
12 years after, Tinubu to implement Oransanye C’ttee report (Leadership)
Twelve years after the submission of the Stephen Oransanye report on reforming Nigeria’s federal agencies, President Bola Tinubu has finally moved to implement its recommendations.
The 2011 report, commissioned by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, had called for the consolidation, merger or scrapping of numerous redundant and inefficient government parastatals.
However, successive administrations failed to act on the report until now. Read more
‘State-controlled prison, police, railway’, Kalu lists constitution amendment highlights (Channels)
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has highlighted some of the things the constitution amendment by the National Assembly aims to achieve.
Kalu was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, hours after the inauguration of the Constitution Amendment Committee of the House by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
The deputy speaker said the amendment will focus on devolution of powers. Read more
Madonna removes Luther Vandross photo from AIDS tribute at the request of his estate (PageSix)
Madonna has removed Luther Vandross’s picture from the AIDS tribute portion of her “Celebrations” tour at the request of his estate, Page Six has learned.
Throughout her latest tour, the pop star has remembered friends and famous names who lost their lives to the condition with a photo montage during her performance of her 1986 song “Live to Tell.” Herb Ritts, Freddie Mercury, Keith Haring and Sylvester are a few of Madge’s peers featured in the memorial.
But Vandross’ image was suddenly included on Saturday during a stop in Sacramento, Calif — much to the surprise of his estate. Read more
Medical boss jailed after 68 children died from poisoned cough syrup (Metro)
A six-month long trial over a cough syrup linked to the deaths of 68 children has finally ended, bringing some closure to their heartbroken families.
Parents of the victims affected by the drug will receive a compensation of £63,000.
As many as 23 people have also been jailed today over the tragedy that engulfed Uzbekistan in 2022. Read more
Ben Affleck takes age swipe at Jennifer Lopez who calls him an ‘idiot’ in new documentary (Mirror)
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck showed they have a lot of banter in their relationship in J.Lo’s new Amazon Prime documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
In a moment where Jen, 54, is seen telling Ben, 51, about the set-up of her recently-released “cinematic odyssey” This Is Me Now: A Love Story, Hollywood actor Ben mocks Jennifer over the age she is proclaiming to be during one of the scenes.
Reading the direction, she tells Ben: “Opening her eyes in a hospital bed, younger, age 28, and she wasn’t emaciated, but exhausted.” Ben interrupts and says: “Technically you weren’t 28, but…”.
J.Lo, who looks less-than-impressed, simply replies: “Yep. All her friends are. But you were. You were.” She adds: “That’s why you were not as smart as me.” Read more
Kim Kardashian’s son Saint walks on the football field with Messi (FilmNews)
Kim Kardashian’s son Saint has walked onto the football field with Lionel Messi, prompting fans to complain.
The reality star posted a video of Saint, eight, walking on to the football field holding Lionel Messi’s hand.
It’s tradition for players to walk on to the pitch holding the hands of local children. The match between Messi’s team Inter Miami and LA Galaxy was being played at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. Read more
Sydney police investigate alleged assault by Scott Swift (RTE)
An Australian photographer said he was punched by Taylor Swift’s father on a wharf on Sydney Harbour early this morning after her final Sydney concert, prompting a police investigation.
Police said they were investigating an alleged assault involving a 71-year-old man and another man on Neutral Bay wharf at about 2.30am.
Police did not name Ms Swift’s father, Scott, who is 71 years of age.
Local media reported that the complainant was an Australian photographer who was waiting for Taylor Swift and her father as they arrived at the Neutral Bay wharf following a late-night cruise on Sydney Harbour. Read more
US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington (TimesOfIsrael)
An active-duty member of the US Air Force has died after he set himself ablaze outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, while declaring that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide.”
The 25-year-old airman, Aaron Bushnell, of San Antonio, Texas, died from his injuries, the Metropolitan Police Department said Monday.
Bushnell had walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Sunday and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Read more
US cautions after Hawaii neighbour Kiribati gets Chinese police (StraitsTimes)
The United States on Monday cautioned Pacific Islands nations against assistance from Chinese security forces after Reuters reported that Chinese police are working in the remote atoll nation of Kiribati, a neighbor of Hawaii.
Kiribati’s acting police commissioner Eeri Aritiera told Reuters last week uniformed Chinese officers were working with police in community policing and a crime database program.
Kiribati is a nation of 115,000 people whose closest island is 2,160 km (1,340 miles) south of Honolulu, and the news comes as Beijing renews a push to expand security ties in the Pacific Islands in an intensifying rivalry with the United States. Read more
Olympic Qualifiers: Super Falcons beat Cameroon, through to final round (Channels)
The Super Falcons of Nigeria are through to the final round of the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The Falcons defeated the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon 1-0 at the MKO Abiola Stadium Abuja on Monday evening to go through on 1-0 aggregate after a 0-0 draw in Cameroon last week.
Esther Okoronkwo scored the only goal of the match in the 14th minute. Read more
Hosting FIFA World Cup estimated to cost Toronto nearly $380m, new report finds (CBC)
The cost of hosting one of the biggest sports tournaments in the world in Toronto is now projected to be nearly $80 million more than initially thought, according to a new city report.
Toronto and Vancouver are the Canadian cities set to host matches during the 2026 World Cup, which will also be played across the United States and Mexico. While the city has previously said the economic boost as a result of the matches will rake in a significant amount of money, cost projections are continuing to rise.
When Toronto first pitched the games in 2018, a city report estimated the cost at between $30 million and $45 million. Later in 2022, those cost projections would balloon to about $300 million. Read more
Andy Murray: Briton suggests he may only have few months left of career (BBC)
Great Britain’s Andy Murray has suggested he may only have a “few months” left of his tennis career after earning his second win of 2024 in Dubai.
The 36-year-old beat Canadian Denis Shapovalov 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
“I probably don’t have too long left but I’ll do as best as I can these last few months,” he said after the victory. Read more
West Ham 4-2 Brentford: Jarrod Bowen brings swagger back to build case for England call-up in March internationals (Sky)
Jarrod Bowen will hope he has timed his run for England inclusion for the forthcoming March internationals to perfection after notching his first senior hat-trick in West Ham’s 4-2 win over Brentford on Monday Night Football.
The Hammers won their first match of 2024, with Bowen scoring his first goals since before Christmas, to end a miserable run of eight games without a victory which had prompted more questions about David Moyes’ future.
England face Brazil at Wembley on March 23 before another international friendly at home to Belgium three days later as part of their final preparations for Euro 2024 in the summer. Gareth Southgate will name his squad for those matches in the next fortnight. Read more
LeBron James defends son Bronny after he’s dropped from 2024 NBA mock draft (People)
LeBron James is defending his eldest son’s work ethic!
On Monday, the NBA legend, 39, turned to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his frustrations regarding speculation about his son Bronny’s career in professional basketball, reports USA Today, the New York Post and TMZ.
The 19-year-old, currently a freshman at USC, was removed from ESPN’s 2024 NBA mock draft. Now, the college player has been projected to be picked in 2025. Read more
Ellerbe Lashes out at underdog Thurman’s odds ahead of Tszyu clash (BoxingScene)
Leonard Ellerbe understands why Keith Thurman might be the underdog on paper ahead of his March 30 fight with Tim Tszyu, but he disagrees with how wide the bookmakers have the contest.
Junior middleweight contender Tsyzu, 24-0 (17 KOs), meets the former welterweight champion Thurman, 30-1 (22 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Thurman, 35, has boxed just once since losing to Manny Pacquiao in July 2019, when he defeated Mario Barrios on points in February 2022, but his inactivity clearly concerns the oddsmakers. Read more