Throwing traders in Black Maria humiliating – Market leader (Punch)
A Lagos market leader, the Asoju Oja of Lagos Island East, Mrs Raliat Adebayo, has pleaded with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps/Kick Against Indiscipline to stop treating traders in the state like criminals by dumping them in ‘Black Maria’ when arrested for alleged infractions.
Adebayo, who represented the Iyaloja-General of Lagos State, Mrs Folasade Tinubu, at the Lagos Central Senatorial District stakeholders’ meeting, said traders who engage in legitimate businesses deserve to be treated with civility by the agency.
The market leader, in a statement on Thursday, was quoted as saying that all the 613 registered markets in the state were “well-coordinated and ready to work with the enforcement agency as long as they carry along the leadership of the state market.” Read more
Rivers APC says considering impeaching Fubara, wooing Wike (Leadership)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State is contemplating the initiation of impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing alleged Constitutional violations.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the chairman of the state APC Caretaker Committee, Tony Okocha, emphasized that although not a member of the state House of Assembly, he believes impeachment is a “democratic process,” not a “coup detat.”
Asserting their dedication to safeguarding the 27 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who defected to the APC, Okocha reiterated, “We will not permit the governor to thrive on illegality. We intend to petition the judge before the National Judicial Council (NJC) regarding the order against our members.” Read more
Biafra: Supreme Court to decide Nnamdi Kanu’s fate Friday (Tribune)
The Supreme Court will on Friday, decide the fate of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in the appeal filed by the Federal Government against a judgment of the Court of Appeal, which quashed the treasonable felony charges against the IPOB leader.
The Appeal Court had, apart from quashing the charges against Kanu, ordered his release from detention on the ground that he was unlawfully renditioned back to the country by the Federal Government after he allegedly jumped bail.
While the Federal Government is asking the apex court to set aside the judgement of the appellate court, Kanu, on his part, wants the Supreme Court to allow the judgment of the Court of Appeal and uphold his discharge and acquittal. Read more
Lagos paid N4.2b WAEC fees in 4 years – Sanwo-Olu (Guardian)
The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it paid a total sum of N4.2 billion as the West African Examination Council (WAEC) fees for students in four years.
Sanwo-Olu said this in Ikeja, at the Ministerial Session of the 67th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting, with the theme: ”Addressing the Challenges of Policy Implementation: A Panacea for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda.”
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Primary and Basic Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said the government had not defaulted in the payment of WAEC fees for all public school students in SS3. Read more
Tinubu, Abiodun, Akume, others bid Chris Ogunbanjo farewell (Vanguard)
Eminent Nigerians, yesterday, thronged Erunwon in Ogun State to bid farewell to foremost industrialist, Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, who died on October 7, 2023, few months to his centenary celebration.
Speaking at the funeral service, President Bola Tinubu described the boardroom guru, philanthropist and corporate leader as a lover of God Almighty, and his people.
The president, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, called on members of the family to remain united, as they prepared to take over the mantle of leadership from their late patriarch. Read more
NAFDAC laboratory gets WHO pre-qualification approval (Punch)
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has announced the pre-qualification approval for the agency’s Yaba laboratory, Lagos State, as a Central Drug Control Laboratory.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
She stated that the World Health Organisation had recently approved the CDCL. Read more
Rivers Attorney-General, Adangor resigns (Independent)
The Rivers State Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, has resigned his position.
Adangor’s resignation, dated December 14, 2023, was addressed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Adangor said his resignation was based “purely on personal decision”.
Adangor was Rivers AG for eight years under the administration of Nyesom Wike, who was governor from May 2015 to May 2023. Read more
NANS condemns gruesome killing of Delta polytechnic students, calls for justice (Vanguard)
The national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has condemned the gruesome killing of Mr. Ishie Abraham,a student of Delta State Polytechnic Otefe-Oghara, allegedly by his landlord.
The victim, Ishie Abraham, was a final-year student of the Department of Computer Science.
A statement by NANS‘ factional president,Comrade Rioborue Deniran,on Wednesday night,called on security authorities, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, and the state government,to urgently seek justice for the deceased. Read more
Madonna angers fans by starting US kickoff tour performance late (PageSix)
She may have had “4 Minutes” to save the world but she took three hours to prepare for a concert.
Madonna upset her devoted fans Wednesday night by kicking off her Celebration tour hours later than planned.
The “Material Girl” singer, who launched her US run of performances at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, didn’t take the stage until 11 p.m. Read more
Imelda Staunton admits she has mixed feelings about The Crown coming to an end (HuffPost)
Imelda Staunton has admitted she has mixed feelings about The Crown coming to an end.
The Bafta-winning star plays the late Queen Elizabeth II in the final two seasons of the hit Netflix drama, the final installments of which began streaming on Thursday.
Speaking to the PA news agency before the finale’s debut, Imelda was full of praise for her time on The Crown, enthusing: “It’s been remarkable and I’ve loved every second of it.” Read more
Trailer drops for “Miller’s Girl”: First look at Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman film (Standard)
Martin Freeman will star as a conflicted teacher opposite Jenna Ortega’s alluring student in the dark high school drama “Miller’s Girl” – for which a trailer has just dropped.
The Lionsgate film is set to be in cinemas from January 26. Dagmara Domińczyk and Bashir Salahuddin play colleagues, discouraging Freeman’s Jonathan Miller, who appears to be helpless against his attraction to Ortega’s 18-year-old Cairo Sweet.
Gideon Adlon and Christine Adams also have roles in the film, which has been written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett. Read more
Andre Braugher: Brooklyn Nine-Nine star died of lung cancer, says representative (Standard)
Andre Braugher, the Emmy-winning star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, died from lung cancer, his representative said on Thursday.
The 61-year-old actor died on Monday.
He was best known for playing Captain Ray Holt in the hit show alongside his role as Detective Frank Pemberton, the lead role in the police drama, Homicide: Life on the Street. Read more
George Clooney, Adam Sandler board Noah Baumbach’s new Netflix feature (Variety)
George Clooney and Adam Sandler will team up in a new Noah Baumbach movie for Netflix that’s still untitled, Variety has confirmed.
Baumbach co-wrote the script with actor Emily Mortimer, who also created the series Doll and Em. Baumbach is producing with Amy Pascal and David Heyman.
Under his exclusive deal with Netflix, Baumbach has already made The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), in which Sandler also starred, as well as the best picture nominee Marriage Story, with Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, and White Noise, adapted from the Don DeLillo novel and starring Driver and Greta Gerwig.
Tori Spelling says son Liam’s foot surgery was a “success’’ (People)
Tori Spelling shared how her oldest son is doing after undergoing surgery.
After posting an Instagram Story photo of Liam Aaron McDermott, 16, lying in a hospital bed as he prepared to have surgery on his foot on Wednesday, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, 50, let her followers know that the surgery was a “success.”
She shared a photo of Liam and a physician on her Instagram Story, adding, “My guy did great.” Spelling identified the location of the procedure as Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital and thanked his doctors. Read more
Hamas members arrested in Europe over suspected terror plot against Jewish institutions (Fox)
Four members of the militant Islamist group Hamas were arrested in Berlin and the Netherlands, German public prosecutors said on Thursday.
The four individuals, Abdelhamid Al A., Mohamed B., Ibrahim El-R., and Nazih R., were detained on suspicion of planning attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe by finding and storing weapons in Berlin, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Prosecutors said that the group have been “long-standing members of Hamas and have participated in Hamas operations abroad.” Read more
FIFA picks 11 Nigerian referees, 11 assistants for 2024 games (Guardian)
World football-governing body, FIFA, has approved a total of 30 Nigerian referees to be placed on the international lists for the year 2024. Among the Nigerians are 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, four beach soccer referees and four futsal referees.
In a message conveyed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the 11 referees approved for international duty from Nigeria for next year are Basheer Salisu, Ogabor Odey Joseph, Olufunmilayo Abigael Alaba, Nurudeen Abubakar, Abdulsalam Kasimu Abiola, Elaigwe Hannah Enekole, Akintoye Yemisi Eunice, Egba Patrick John, Madu Ndidi Patience, Mustapha Grema Mohammed and Abdullahi Abubakar. Read more
Real Betis 2-3 Rangers: Kemar Roofe’s late strike helps Philippe Clement’s side to historic win and Europa League last 16 (Sky)
Kemar Roofe’s late goal earned Rangers a memorable 3-2 win against Real Betis and booked a spot in the Europa League knockout stages.
Roofe turned the ball home from close range as Rangers put the pressure on from a 78th-minute corner to clinch top spot in Group C.
Rangers inflicted a first home defeat of the season on the Spaniards in Seville as Roofe’s second goal of the season saw them jump above Sparta Prague from third place and send Betis into the Conference League. Read more
Welch to become 1st woman to referee in Premier League (ESPN)
Rebecca Welch will become the first woman to referee a Premier League game when she takes charge of Fulham vs. Burnley on Dec. 23.
Sam Allison will also become the first Black referee in 15 years to be involved in a top-flight game, following in the footsteps of Uriah Rennie. He will take charge of Sheffield United vs. Luton Town on Dec. 26.
Wendy Toms was the first woman assistant to run the line in the Premier League in the 1990s and was followed more recently by Natalie Aspinall and Sian Massey-Ellis. Read more
Andreescu targets Paris Olympics but rules out Australian Open (StraitsTimes)
Bianca Andreescu said on Thursday she hopes to represent Canada at next year’s Paris Olympics but the 2019 U.S. Open champion has ruled out playing at next month’s Australian Open as she continues her recovery from a back injury.
Andreescu has been sidelined by a stress fracture in her back and has not played since losing to Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi in her opening match of the Canadian Open in August.
The 23-year-old said progress in her recovery had been steady but slow and she has yet to even pick up a racquet, pushing her expected return to action back to March or April. Read more
Shohei Ohtani, formally introduced by Dodgers, avoids surgery talk (ABC)
Shohei Ohtani opened his first news conference with the Los Angeles Dodgers by dodging questions about whether he had a second Tommy John surgery.
“At the time of the announcement, we didn’t know which way we were going to go. That’s why I never said what type of procedure was going to be done,” Ohtani said Thursday at a news conference to discuss his record $700 million, 10-year contract.
It was Ohtani’s first time speaking with the media since Aug. 9, two weeks before a pitching injury that required surgery with Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Sept. 19 and will keep him off the mound until 2025. Ohtani previously underwent Tommy John surgery with ElAttrache on Oct. 1, 2018. Read more
Nick Kyrgios sets retirement date as he targets “peace” after injury hell (Standard)
Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios is planning on hanging up his racket in the next two years.
Having recently confirmed he will miss the Australian Open in the New Year due to injury, the 28-year-old has set out his desire to retire on his “own terms”.
“I only want to play for about another one to two years, and be at the top, and go down on my own terms,” he said in an interview on the ‘On Purpose with Jay Shetty’ podcast. Read more