Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal high court in Abuja has declared the activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups as acts of terrorism.
The presiding judge gave the order on an ex parte motion filed by the federal government.
The director of public prosecution (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar, who filed the motion ex-parte, said President Buhari gave approval for the proscription of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other terrorist groups in the country.
In its supporting affidavits, the Federal government said security reports have confirmed that the bandit groups were responsible for the killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings and related acts of criminality in the northeast, north-central and other parts of the country.
It alleged that the group is responsible for the growing cases of “banditry, incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and Northcentral states in Nigeria are being carried out by Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other groups associated with or engaged in the same or similar activities as Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups in Nigeria.”
“The activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other similar groups constitute acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria,” the government added in the ex parte motion
Delivering ruling on Thursday November 25, Justice Taiwo specifically declared the activities of the “Yan Bindiga group” and the “Yan Ta’adda group” and other similar groups in any part of the country, especially in the north-west and the north-central as “acts of terrorism and illegality”.
The judge went ahead to proscribe the activities of the group as well as other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called”.
The judge also made an order restraining “any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever, in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of the Yan Bindiga group and the Yan Ta’adda group under any other name or platform however called or described”.
The court asked the federal government to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.
An elderly man has been accused of having “unnatural” sex with a goat.
60-year-old widower Shaari Hasan, from near Rawang in Malaysia, allegedly committed the act on July 27, 2021.
According to local media reports, he was caught in the act when the goat’s owner, a 45-year-old woman, heard the animal making strange sounds from the back of her house.
Police say that she then rushed towards the female goat to find a half-naked man standing next to it.
After noticing the woman he ran away.
The owner was devastated to find her goat dead after the incident.
Hassan has been charged to court. Under Section 377 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, he is facing up to 20 years in prison as well as either a hefty fine or brutal whipping.
At court yesterday, Nov. 25, Hasan eventually pleaded not guilty, having initially pleaded guilty when the charge was read out.
The turnaround occurred after judge Nurul Mardhiah Mohammed Redza presented a t-shirt and trousers to the court, allegedly taken from Hasan during the arrest.
The judge asked the accused: “Do the shirt and trousers belong to you?”
Hasan replied: “No.”
The judge then explained that Hasan’s initial guilty plea could not be accepted if he did not concede that the clothes were his.
Consequently, the charge was read out once more and the elderly man pleaded not guilty.
Hasan’s lawyers asked the court for bail, which deputy public prosecutor Siti Khadijah Amir Hamdzah argued against.
The court sided with the prosecutor and no bail was offered to the accused.
Hasan will return to court for mention on December 24.
Chinenye Egbo holds the record for the youngest lecturer at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, (ESUT). She is currently 24 and an indigene of Enugu State. She is not your regular 24-year-old as she is instinctively brilliant and endearing.
Becoming a lecturer has always been the aspiration of Chinenye right from childhood. She tells BBC News Igbo in an interview yesterday, that she developed the passion of being a teacher when she was five. Her father had wanted her to become an engineer but she insisted on being a teacher. Her mother supported her ambition and encouraged her to aim for it.
Chinenye is the youngest lecturer in ESUT where she teaches and probably the whole of Nigeria. She bagged first class in Guidance and Counselling after which she proceeded to attain her Masters in the same field. It was after her Masters that she started applying for jobs and was employed by the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
She is currently pursuing her doctorate and hopes to attain professorship in no distant time. Chinenye doesn’t only teach in the University. She also volunteers to teach in Primary and Secondary Schools pro bono, free of charge.
On student-lecturer relationship, Chinenye says she has a cordial relationship with her students. Some of the students are her age mates but they still respect and seek counsel from her. She discloses that the students confide in her and seek help from her in difficult aspects of their studies.
Although most of the students are always surprised meeting her as their lecturer for the first time, Chinenye maintains that she still humbles herself and teaches them accordingly. Aside what is in the curriculum, she also inculcates morals and spirit of hard work in them from time to time.
The erudite scholar mentions that before she began teaching in the University, she was into interior decoration. Lecturing doesn’t stop he her interior decoration job as she has many dedicated workers that carry on the work in her absence. She only supervises. As such most of her students see her as their role model and aspire to be like her. She also encourages them and wishes them the very best in life.
Also speaking to BBC News Igbo is Professor Charles Eze, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology. He attests to the brilliance, sheer hard work and emulating qualities of Chinenye who distinguished herself in her field of study by becoming the overall best student of her set. This according to him made the University to absorb Chinenye and goes further in sponsoring her towards attaining her Ph.D.
Chinenye is an acclaimed international journal writer with lots of published articles to her credits. These critically acclaimed articles and book reviews will smoothen her journey into attaining her professorship which she prays and believes God for at a young age.Chinenye Egbo
A 40-year-old man was found alive after being wrongly declared dead by doctors.
Sreekesh Kumar was critically injured by a speeding motorcycle, was mistakenly declared dead, and was stored in a mortuary freezer for seven hours.
Medical staff were stunned when he showed signs of life as police arrived to identify the body and arrange an autopsy with his relatives.
The electrician’s family rushed him to hospital on Thursday, Nov. 18, after he was involved in an accident in the Indian city of Morabadad, Uttar Pradesh.
He was declared dead shortly after arriving, but when police visited the following morning, relatives noticed signs of movement and alerted doctors.
Recording the discovery, Mr Kuma’s sister-in-law Madhu Bala shouted: “He’s not dead, in fact far from it. How did this happen? Look, he wants to say something, he is breathing.”
Moradabad’s chief medical superintendent, Dr Shiv Singh, described the incident as the “rarest of rare cases”.
Dr Shiv Singh told the Times of India: “The emergency medical officer had seen the patient at around 3am and there was no heartbeat. He told me he had examined the man multiple times.
“Therefore he was declared dead. In the morning, a police team and his family found him alive.”
Rajendra Kumar, the hospital’s medical superintendent described the situation as “nothing short of a miracle.”
After the shocking discovery, Mr Kumar was taken back to hospital and was put on a ventilator as he remained in a coma.
Unfortunately, he eventually died on Tuesday, Nov. 23, as doctors were reportedly unable to operate on him because of a bleeding disorder.
Mr Kumar’s family said he had a clot in his brain and have since vowed to take legal action against all those responsible for his death.
Dr Singh said the district’s health department is now investigating the matter.
Football icon, Ronaldinho has been warned he could be sent back to jail over a maintenance payment dispute with a former girlfriend.
Reports in Brazil say the former Barcelona and AC Milan star has been ordered to settle his debt with Priscilla Coelho by December 1 to avoid the seizure of his assets and possible prison.
She’s understood to have been awarded around £13,500 in maintenance a month after arbitration as the Brazil legend’s ‘common-law wife’
Priscilla’s lawyer Bruno Medrado told Brazilian newspaper Extra: ‘Right now he has to pay up.’
Officials are said to have handed Ronaldinho a court summons so he could be formally notified about the maintenance payment deadline on November 11 after several failed attempts to track him down.
The former footballer is currently believed to be in Dubai.
In May 2018 Ronaldinho was forced to deny claims he was marrying Priscilla and another woman, named as Beatriz Sousa, at the same time.
He spoke out after a Brazilian newspaper said he would tie the knot with the stunning pair at a private ceremony at the upmarket Barra da Tijuca district in Rio de Janeiro where he owns a home.
The two-time World Player of the Year said at the time: ‘It’s a huge lie. Everyone’s talking about this but it’s not true. I’m not going to get married.’
Around a year later it emerged Priscilla, said to have started dating Ronaldinho when he played for Belo Horizonte club Atletico Mineiro, was demanding money from her multi-millionaire ex.
It was reported that she was awarded around £13,500 in maintenance a month following arbitration as the retired footballer’s former ‘common-law wife’ in a provisional decision which can be appealed while the first payments are made.
A common law marriage is one in which the couple lives together for a period of time and holds themselves out to friends, family, and the community as “being married,” but without ever going through a formal ceremony or getting a marriage license.
A woman has been found dead in her garden with a puncture wound in her neck.
Tiffany L. Frangione, 48, from Houston, Texas, USA, tried to intervene in a fight between her two dogs and the neighbour’s dogs, but her pets turned against her, according to the Daily Mail.
The medical examiner determined her death to have been accidental and caused by “blunt force trauma of her neck with penetrating injuries and mechanical asphyxia”.
Her dogs are a three-year-old female Alaskan husky mix named Masha and a three-year-old male Cane Corso mix named Rachirius Maximus.
Frangione had owned both dogs since they were puppies.
Houston’s BARC Animal Shelter confirmed to KHOU11.com that Frangione’s husband has turned the dogs over to the shelter.
They were reportedly scheduled to be euthanised on Monday.
Frangione loved her dogs and had posted numerous pictures of them on social media. She had even created Instagram accounts for both of them.
Police in Vietnam’s southern Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province have arrested a Nigerian man, Uzor Emmanuel and four other alleged members of a transnational scam ring accused of duping a local firm of US$110,000.
Provincial police on Friday, November 19, announced the arrest of 37-year-old Uzor and four Vietnamese, including two women, Nguyen Thi Hanh and Nguyen Thi Vinh, and two men, Pham Thanh Dung and Vu Thanh Trung.
According to initial information about the case, at the end of October 2021, P.C., a company based in the province’s Phu My District, reported to local police that it had been cheated of nearly US$110,000.
Earlier on October 18, P.C. was informed by its business partner, J.W., that the latter had made a payment of some US$110,000 to the former through a bank account of Samar For Import Co., Ltd (called in short as Samar).
J.W. explained that it on October 14 received from P.C. an email requesting J.W. to pay the amount to the account of Samar that was stated in the email as the recipient of the payment.
After investigation, police found out that the email address from which J.W. received the said request was not the genuine email address of P.C.
The false email address was very similar to the real one, police said.
Police immediately blocked the bank account of Samar to prevent the offenders from withdrawing the money.
Knowing their trick had failed, the five members of the ring attempted to flee abroad but were eventually arrested in Ho Chi Minh City.
Samar, located in the city’s Go Vap District and headed by Vu Thanh Trung as director, was a bogus company set up as a tool of the swindling ring, police said.
Further investigation showed that Uzoh Emmanuel got acquainted with Hanh in 2017 via social media and the two later lived as a couple at a luxury apartment in Ho Chi Minh City.
In August 2021, the Nigerian man asked Hanh to hire some Vietnamese to establish bogus companies to serve his fraudulent schemes.
The foreigner promised to pay Hanh and her team 10 percent of every amount he could earn from swindles.
Hanh asked Vinh to take steps to set up shell enterprises following Emmanuel’s instructions.
Vinh later colluded with Dung and Trung to establish 11 bogus businesses whose directors were the two men.
In order to carry out cheating schemes, Emmanuel and his overseas accomplices hacked the internal computer systems of a number of enterprises to collect their business information.
They went on to create email addresses similar to those of some companies, then used such fake emails to ask partners of such companies to transfer payments to the bank accounts designated by them.
With such a trick, before committing to the above-mentioned swindle, the ring successfully cheated a Europe-based enterprise of more than VND6 billion ($264,700) in late August.
After paying VND260 million ($11,470) to Hanh and VND366 million ($16,140) to Vinh and Dung, Emmanuel transferred the remaining amount abroad.
The provincial police are deepening investigation into the transnational swindling ring.
n Italian doctor has resigned after he was caught half-naked in a hotel room offering to cure a woman’s illness by having sex with her.
Dr. Giovanni Miniello, 60, a gynaecologist in Bari, also known by the nickname ‘Dr. Magic Flute,’ was the target of an undercover TV investigation and told an actress who was posing as a patient that she had human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cancer, despite a negative test.
Miniello reportedly told the female ‘patient’ that he could give her immunity for the virus by having sex with her because he was vaccinated.
The Italian doctor was uncovered as a fraud by the investigative news programme ‘Le Lene’ after a 33-year-old woman complained that he was offering to cure his patients with sex.
The woman, identified as Anna Maria, said she had consulted Miniello about being unable to get pregnant, and he told the woman she had signs of HPV, despite a negative Pap smear test.
‘I have saved many women from cancer. All those I have had contact with were negative afterwards,’ he reportedly told her.
But Anna Maria decided to contact the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, alleging that Miniello had touched her breasts inappropriately and told her he liked women with small breasts.
When she contacted him for the results of the test, she said she was shocked when he proposed having sex with her to cure her.
The woman then reached out to the investigative news program ‘Le lene,’ which hired an actress to portray a patient.
Minello told her that she had ‘white spots’ on her cervix, which indicated the presence of HPV. He then offered to have sex with him.
Minello also claimed that having sex with somebody like him who had been vaccinated would give her immunity, and he offered to see if he could immunize her by having sex with her.
The undercover actress then agreed to meet him in a hotel, where he again assured her as he undressed that afterward she would be free from the virus.
While there, when she asked about protection, he told her that it was pointless as she would not then get the benefit of the antibodies if he had a condom on.
But before he thought he was about to have sex with her, a journalist came into the room and surprised the half-naked doctor, who reportedly said: ‘I’m doing this for my studies and for the other people that I have saved.’
Through his lawyer, Miniello said: ‘I, who have successfully treated hundreds of women for over 40 years … only proposed an alternative treatment that has yielded results,’ adding that he never forced women to have sex with him.
As a result of the TV investigation, 15 other women have come forward and claimed they were also victims of the doctor and his miracle sex cure.
Marika Massara, the coordinator for the Anti-Violence Centre in Bari, said: ‘We have received several reports in the last few days, dozens. Women who have come together and gone through a similar situation.
‘Some consider reporting it, others are afraid, also because the level of secondary victimisation we are witnessing is very high.’
The public prosecutor in Bari has meanwhile opened an investigation, which is currently in a preliminary phase to establish the facts.
North Korea has reportedly banned people from wearing leather trench coats because dictatorial ruler Kim Jong-un doesn’t want his citizen dressing up like him.
First worn by Kim in 2019, the coat became popular among the North Korean elite who were keen to show their loyalty to the Supreme Leader and who could afford real leather.
But due to imitations of leather trench coats, fashion police have reportedly been deployed to shut down merchants selling them and take them off people amid fears it cheapens Kim’s look and undermines his authority.
‘[Police] say that wearing clothes designed to look like the Highest Dignity’s is an ‘impure trend to challenge the authority of the Highest Dignity,’ a source told Radio Free Asia, using a common honorific to refer to Kim.
‘They instructed the public not to wear leather coats, because it is part of the party’s directive to decide who can wear them.’
The outlet said knock-off versions of the coat first began appearing in September this year when unofficial trade between China and North Korea was reopened following a shut-down during the Covid pandemic.
That allowed traders to start acquiring synthetic leather to make the coats from.
Radio Free Asia claimed to have seen an import document from recent months that showed dozens of metres of the material being imported.
Kim first appeared in a leather coat in December 2019, around the time he was negotiating with Donald Trump over North Korea’s nuclear stockpile.
The styling was noted by South Korean media, which suggested it was indicative of Kim’s desire to break with tradition and forge his own identity. He had largely styled himself after his father and grandfather, the founder of North Korea by wearing Mao-style jackets and horn-rimmed glasses.
Rapper, Cardi B‘s STD (sexually transmitted disease) test results have been requested by a federal judge in her defamation lawsuit against youtuber Tasha K.
Cardi B accused the YouTuber of spreading false rumors that she has herpes. The judge has now requested she proves the allegations were false.
According to Billboard, Judge William M. Ray II directed the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health at UCLA on Monday (November 22) to disclose “any and all medical records within your possession related solely to the testing for Herpes and HPV [human papillomavirus] for Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar,” referring to Cardi B by her real name.
The herpes test results will play a big role in determining the outcome of the lawsuit as a negative test would support Cardi B’s case that Tasha K’s STD accusations were false, which must be proven to win a defamation lawsuit.
The herpes test results were sought by Tasha K’s attorneys. However, Cardi B’s attorney claimed the same tests had already been voluntarily submitted as evidence in favor of the Bronx rapper’s case.
“The medical records concerning the HPV and herpes tests were previously produced subject to a protective order and in support of my client’s claims,” Lisa F. Moore of Moore Pequignot LLC told Billboard on Tuesday (November 23).
Cardi B and Tasha K (real names Latasha Kebe) have been entangled in a messy legal battle for over two years. The rapper sued Kebe for $75,000 in 2019 over scandalous allegations involving drug abuse, prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases in a series of YouTube vlogs.
Tasha K even suggested Cardi B’s daughter, Kulture (who was unborn at the time), may have intellectual disabilities due to Cardi’s alleged drug habit. Cardi B denied all allegations and claims she gave Tasha K the opportunity to retract her inflammatory remarks, which was rejected.
Tasha K countersued Cardi B for $3 million, claiming she had sent cultists known as the ‘Blood gang’ to threaten her. But Judge Ray sided with Cardi and tossed out the lawsuit after ruling there was “no evidence” she brought Tasha any distress.
Cardi B and Tasha K were scheduled to appear in court on November 9, but the rapper asked the date to be pushed back due to an unspecified family emergency. The trial has since been moved to January 5, 2022.
A jury delivered guilty verdicts on Wednesday November 24, on murder charges against three White men including a father and son who chased and shot Ahmaud Arbery as the 25-year-old black man jogged last yearthrough their Glynn County, Georgia, neighborhood.
The verdict was delivered by the jury, consisting of one Black man and 11 white men and women, after about a two-week trial in the coastal city of Brunswick in a case that hinged on whether the defendants had a right to confront the unarmed 25-year-old jogger last year on a hunch he was fleeing a crime.
Travis McMichael, who fired the shots, was found guilty on all nine counts, including malice murder and four counts of felony murder. He faces a minimum sentence of life in prison on the murder charges.
His father, Gregory McMichael, was found not guilty of malice murder but guilty of felony murder and all other charges. He now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, was found guilty of three counts felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony. He was not convicted of malice murder, one count of felony murder, and one count of aggravated assault.
He now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Cheers erupted in the courtroom as the verdicts were read, and people were crying and embracing. Deputies called for an order.
“We finally got justice,” she said as supporters embraced her.
The men were charged with murder and other crimes in the fatal shooting on Feb. 23, 2020. The men were arrested two months later, after Bryan’s cellphone video of the incident spurred nationwide outrage.
Prosecutors argued Arbery was “under attack” by white men who saw a Black man running in their small, coastal neighborhood and hopped in pickup trucks to pursue him. Arbery committed no crimes and was attempting to flee throughout the five-minute chase, they said.
Defense attorneys for the McMichaels said the father and son were attempting to detain Arbery for police because they suspected he was a burglar. Bryan’s attorney said he was a witness who documented the killing.
Race has been central to the trial from the beginning, with potential jurors being asked their thoughts on Black Lives Matter and the Confederate flag and a defense attorney attempting to bar national civil rights figures like Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson from the courtroom.
But the jury did not hear evidence the killing was racially motivated in part because prosecutors did not need to prove the defendants’ actions were racially motivated.
The verdict follows a jury’s Nov. 19 acquittal in another closely watched trial of an 18-year-old named Kyle Rittenhouse who fatally shot two men during racial justice protests in Wisconsin.
Operatives of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Akwa Ibom State Command have arrested a man for allegedly conniving with his wife to sell their two daughters aged 6 and 4 respectively.
The man, Elisha Effiong, who lives in Cameroon with his wife was arrested in Uyo on Monday, November 15, through an intelligence report while trying to sell their children, identified as Abasifreke Edet and Rachael Edet.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Umana Ukeme, in a statement on Wednesday November 23, said the suspects confessed that they made the decision to sell their children due to extreme hardship.
According to the statement, the suspect confided with a private security guard of his plans while the guard, in turn, notified the commandant of the corps Mr. Abidemi Majekodunmi who immediately ordered the arrest of the culprit.
“The suspect, Elisha Edet Effiong, ‘M’ was apprehended with his two children identified as Abasifreke Edet, 6, and Rachel Edet, 4, while attempting to sell them for M700, 000 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
“Effiong, 40 years was apprehended at FulCare Hospital along Ekpanya Street, where he notified the security guard of his intention to sell his two children to pay off his debt and meet other financial challenges.
“The security guard notified the NSCDC and immediately, Commandant Abidemi Majekodunmi detailed personnel of the anti-human trafficking unit of the corps who swung into action and apprehended the suspect alongside with his two daughters, ” the statement read in part.
According to Ukeme, preliminary investigations have been concluded while the case would be transferred to NAPTIP zonal office, Uyo for the prosecution of the suspect.
Apostle Peter Tom Udofia, the General Overseer of the Way of Salvation Church of Jesus Christ, in Calabar, has been called out after he got married to a much younger church member who is allegedly 18 years old.
The 63-year-old clergyman married Sister Blessing Jeremiah Esu in Ikot Akpang Ikpong, Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. The ceremony took place on October 18, 2021.
One month after the wedding, people began claiming the girl is just 18 and she was a chorister in his church when he married her.
This generated criticisms from people.
Others also called him out for marrying again despite having a wife.
The Federal Government on Tuesday launched a new enhanced electronic passport to improve the passport application process for Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
Speaking during the rollout of passport at the Nigerian High Commission in London, United Kingdom, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola said it is the responsibility of the government to provide the passport without stress within a reasonable period, adding that the Nigerian passport is the highest affirmation of Nigerian citizenship.
Minister Media Adviser, Sola Fasure disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement titled, “FG launches Enhanced Passport In The UK”
It partly read, “What we have come to do here is symbolic of the core mandate of the Ministry of Interior and indeed, the Federal Government of Nigeria – affirmation of citizenship integrity.
” The Nigerian passport is the highest affirmation of Nigerian citizenship. It is therefore our responsibility to provide the passport without any stress, within a reasonable period.
“As we are all aware, there have been huge challenges to passport administration, from shortage of booklet to touting and an economy of corruption built around it.
“These challenges have persisted for too long and a lot of people have become cynical while other have taken them as normal and then roll with it. But I come from a tradition of problem solving in public administration. I do not believe that any problem is insurmountable, so we are going to solve all the problems associated with passport administration and we are already succeeding.”
Revealing the features of the new enhanced Passport, Aregbesola was quoted to have said that, it is a huge improvement from the standard Passport that was introduced back in 2007, with more sophisticated security features, making it one of the most secured passports in the world.
The statement continued, “The Enhanced e-Passport is a great improvement on the Biometric Passport technology which Nigeria adopted in 2007 as a strategic step towards curbing forgery, impersonation and other forms of frauds associated with obtaining travel document under the old Machine Readable Passport regime.
” We are aware that technology rules the world and we are keeping abreast of the latest development in the field.
“Over the years, the Nigeria Immigration Service had worked assiduously and in close synergy with Messrs Iris Smart Technologies Limited to develop and implement Passport reforms that are in tandem with international best practices, including extant International Civil Aviation Organization’s Standards and Regulations”.
A rescue mission is underway to save dozens of missing trapped coal miners after a fire broke out at a mine in Russia.
Emergency services rushed to the Listvyazhnaya coal mine in the Kemerovo region of Russia’s Siberia on Thursday November 25.
At least one miner was reported to have died in the incident while fears have been growing for the missing coal miners amid the mine evacuation.
A number of the coal miners were suffering from smoke poisoning when they were brought to the surface, authorities said.
Russian media Interfax news agency quoted a mine official saying 75 miners’ whereabouts were unaccounted for.
More than 200 people have been saved, emergency services said.
Regional Governor Sergei Tsivilev said one person had died and another 43 were injured, according to reports.
The injured coal miners have been rushed to hospital following their rescue.
Two of the 43 injured were said to be in a serious condition, according to the Regional Governor’s Telegram channel.
“According to preliminary data, a number of workers suffered from smoke poisoning. The number of victims is being specified,” the regional branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee said in an earlier statement.
A 32-year-old drug trafficker based in Liberia, Maduabuchi Chinedu, has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with 9.30 kilograms of cocaine worth over N2.7billion in street value.
The suspect who hails from Obaha Okigwe village, Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo state, lives in Liberia where he works as a miner. He was arrested during an inward joint search of Ethiopian Airlines flight 911 at the Abuja airport on Wednesday 24th November 2021 with 9.30kg cocaine with each pellet wrapped in candies wraps and concealed in his luggage.
During his preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he left Nigeria in 2018 to settle in Liberia where he now has a residence permit. He however added that economic pressure and the need to raise money to treat his mother for an eye problem led him to seek help from a friend in Liberia who introduced him to another friend based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia who eventually gave him the drug to deliver in Abuja for a fee of N1million. He added that he was initially scheduled to deliver the drug in Ivory Coast but was rerouted to Nigeria at the last minute.
While commending the officers and men of the NAIA Command of the Agency for their vigilance and working in synergy with other security agencies at the airport, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues in other commands to always remain two steps ahead of merchants of death who are daily getting more desperate to make money at the expense of the image of the country and Nigerians’ wellbeing.
Delhi Police has arrested a 40-year-old Nigerian national involved in hacking people’s WhatsApp accounts and defrauding them.
The accused, Okwudiri Paschal, is a part of a group operating from Nigeria that hunts individuals through social media, the police said on Saturday, November 20.
The accused was arrested outside an ATM in Bengaluru’s Banaswadi area, following a complaint received by a Delhi resident who claimed that he lost money after he clicked on a link sent to him from an unknown number.
According to the complainant, he received a WhatsApp message stating that the facilities on WhatsApp are being upgraded for which system is generating a 6-digit code.
When the complainant typed his mobile number followed by the 6-digit code provided in the message, his WhatsApp account stopped functioning, intending it has got hacked.
According to Delhi Police sources, the group that is operating from Nigeria, hunts individuals through social media like Facebook before zeroing in on the individuals. They mainly target affluent people to further prey on their circle.
After selecting the targets, their contact numbers are accessed. Once an account is hacked, their WhatsApp ID is used to send messages to their contact posing any financial need.
Delhi Police has also learnt that from generating the 6-digit code to sending messages, the backend work is operated entirely from Nigeria. The police are exploring legal avenues to nab the group operating in Nigeria.
The bank account detail where money was transferred by victims was accessed from the complainant. The bank account was traced to Bengaluru.
Following this, a joint team of Delhi Police led by Inspector Vishal Chaudhary laid a trap near ATMs located in Bengaluru’s Banaswadi from where transactions in the said bank account was observed.
When the accused came to withdraw money, the police team nabbed him. Seven other ATM cards, numerous SIM cards and four mobile phones were recovered from his possession.
During interrogation, it has been learnt that the group cheated over hundreds of people throughout India.
Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav said that this was the first case in which a Delhi police team laid a trap outside the Bengaluru ATM and caught the suspect red handed.
DCP Yadav said that Paschal sensed police had spotted him and tried to flee.
“While trying to flee, he collided with a scooter, which also fell down. The Delhi Police team arrested the accused from the spot. Seven other ATM cards, numerous SIM Cards, and four mobile phones were also recovered from his possession. We have brought him to Delhi on transit remand,” he added.
A city court on Friday sent Paschal to police custody for eight days.
Police said they are trying to identify the other members of Paschal’s gang.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, says the nation’s proposed national carieer, Nigeria Air, will take off by April 2022.
The minister announced the take-off date while briefing state house correspondents after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday, November 24.
He said the national carrier will be run by a company in which the Nigerian government will hold a five percent stake while Nigerian entrepreneurs will hold 46 percent. According to Sirika, the remaining 49 percent will be reserved for yet to be assigned strategic equity partners, including foreign investors.
The Minister added that when the national carrier begins operations, it will create about 70,000 jobs for Nigerians.
“Today (Wednesday) in Council civil aviation presented two memoranda. The first one is approval for the award of contract for the provision of Automated Civil Aviation Regulatory Equipment, including software support and training, which will be located in Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
In summary, this is a software that will allow all of the activities of civil aviation regulation to be done electronically on one platform, including payments, including follow ups on personnel licensing, the medicals, the economic regulation of airlines, safety regulation of airlines and all other businesses within the envelope of civil aviation will be monitored by this single software.
It is called ‘the truth machine’ in quotation in Europe, because all of the truth of regulation of civilization will appear on this platform, it’s an extremely important software that the world has now come to terms with.
The contract was given to Messrs. Arif Investment Nigeria Limited, who are representatives of Empik GmbH. This Empik are the creators of this software, one of its kind in the world, at the sum of N1,492,520,325, which will be including 7.5% VAT and completion period of six months. So that’s the first memoranda.
The next one also is approval of the outline business case for the establishment of the national carrier and this is the sixth time the memorandum appeared before Council. The sixth time, we got lucky to be passed by Council.
The structure of the proposed airline; government will be owning not more than 5%. So 5% is the maximum equity that government will take, then 46% will be owned by Nigerian entrepreneurs. So, if you add that, it’s 51%. So, it’s 51% majority shareholding by Nigerians and then 49% will be held by strategic equity partner or partners that will be sourced during the procurement phase, which is the next phase.
This airline, if started, and within the first few years will generate about 70,000 jobs. These 70,000 jobs are higher than the total number of civil servants that we have in the country. Its importance had been well discussed so, I’ll not go back to it. You had discussed it separately also on various fora as to the need for it.
But one important item is the AU agenda 2063, which speaks to integration of Africa, which speaks to the cause and trade within Africa that is intra-Africa and to which also another flagship project of AU agenda 2063 called the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Now, the only way, the quickest way that you can integrate Africa is by air because if you want to interconnect all the 54 nations of Africa, via rail or road, or waterways, which is even impossible, the quantum of money that you need to do all of these, the time it will take to develop this infrastructure, as well as the maintenance cost, is almost prohibitive.
It’s doable, it’s time-taking, but with aviation, within a year, once the right policy is in place, like SAATM, you can connect Africa and then of course, the needed integration will happen. Part of AU agenda 2063 So, these are the two memoranda that were submitted, and gladly they were passed by Council.
The name is Nigeria Air which of course, if you remember back in time, this was subject to national debate and 400,000 people participated, choose the name, the colour, the logo, everything and it was produced that time. It was launched also in Farnborough as far back as 2018.
So, the business case is a public document. It will be on our website, you can download it and we can give you copies. This airline will pick up and start, by God’s grace, on or before April 2022.”
Responding to a question on whether the April date takeoff for the air carrier is certain, Sirika said
“Well, the best case is that the airline will pick up that period, April 2022 all things being equal. But since it’s an outline of the business we will follow the outline of the business.
It is our hope and desire that it starts on April. It can be sacrosanct records but it’s dependent upon other factors, since we are going to the market right away.”
In 2018, the federal government unveiled Nigeria Air, at the Farnborough International Public Airshow in London. The federal government later suspended the proposed airlinedue to investor apathy.
China has banned its celebrities from showing off their wealth on social media in the latest crackdown on the entertainment industry.
The Cyberspace Administration of China made the announcement on Tuesday that celebrities in the country will not be allowed to ‘show off wealth’ or ‘extravagant pleasure’ on social media.
The rules also prevent celebrities from publishing false or private information, provoking fans against other fan groups, and spreading rumours.
Business Insider also reports that social media accounts of both celebrities and fans will be required to adhere to ‘public order and good customs, adhere to correct public opinion orientation and value orientation, promote socialist core values, and maintain a healthy style and taste’.
The new rules are put in place amid a crackdown on celebrity culture in China as the country continues to strengthen its grip on the entertainment industry.
In September, China’s celebrities were warned they must ‘oppose the decadent ideas of money worship, hedonism and extreme individualism’ at an entertainment industry symposium hosted by the Communist Party.
The meeting in Beijing ran with the slogan: ‘Love the party, love the country, advocate morality and art.’
It was attended by senior party officials and showbusiness bosses who were told they must conform to social ethics, personal morality, and family values.
Attendees of the conference were told they must ‘consciously abandon vulgar and kitsch inferior tastes, and consciously oppose the decadent ideas of money worship, hedonism, and extreme individualism,’ according to state media.
A list of ‘misbehaving celebrities’ who have allegedly been blacklisted by Beijing was circulated on social media in August.
Zhao, 45, and Zheng, 30, were both on the list, along with Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu, who was arrested on suspicion of rape earlier this year.
Comedian and actor, Klint Da Drunk survived a ghastly motor accident in Abuja last night.
Posting photos from the accident, the comedian wrote;
”Can’t believe I was in this car! Lord God Almighty, I thank you for the gift of life. You saved me and brought me out without a single scratch. Lord, I thank you! ”.
Kanye West has vowed to restore his family with Kim Kardashian amid her new romance with Pete Davidson.
The 44-year-old rapper spoke about his marriage to Kim Kardashian while attending the Los Angeles Mission’s Annual Thanksgiving event in Skid Row on Wednesday November 24. During his speech, Kanye expressed his desires for him and Kim to get back together and needing “to be back home.”
“The narrative God wants is to see that we can be redeemed in all these relationships. We’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve publicly done things that were not acceptable as a husband,” he says in a video shared by PageSix.
“But right now today, for whatever reason, I didn’t know I was going to be standing right here. I didn’t know I was gonna be in front of this mic, but I’m here to change the narrative.”
Kanye then continued by expressing that he wasn’t going to let E!, Hulu and Disney, networks that work with the Kardashians on their reality shows, “write the narrative of his family. I am the priest of my own home.”
“I have to be next to my children as much as possible. So, when I’m out the house, I’ve got a house right next to the house. I’m doing everything to be right next to the situation, But I need to be back home.” he said
“If the enemy can separate Kimye, there’s going to be millions of families that feel like that separation is OK… but when God brings Kimye together, there’s going to be millions of families that are going to be influenced to see that they can overcome the work of the separation,” he continued. “Of trauma the devil has used to capitalize to keep people in misery while people step over homeless people to go to the Gucci store.”
Kanye and Kim share four children together; North, 8, Saint, 5, Chicago, 3, and Psalm, 2. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star filed for divorce from the rapper in February, after seven years of marriage.
Kanye’s speech comes days after Kim and Pete Davidson were once again photographed holding hands and on a dinner date. The 41-year-old reality star and the Saturday Night Live comedian are rumored to be dating.
Sweden’s first-ever female prime minister, Magdalena Andersson has dramatically resigned less than 12 hours after being installed over suffering a budget defeat in parliament and then losing her coalition partner in a two-party minority government.
Ms. Andersson said a decision by the Green Party to quit the two-party coalition had forced her to resign but added that she had told the parliamentary speaker she hoped to be appointed prime minister again as the head of a single-party government.
The Green Party said it would leave the government after the coalition’s budget bill was rejected by parliament.
“For me, it is about respect, but I also do not want to lead a government where there may be grounds to question its legitimacy,” Ms Andersson told a news conference.
She added: “A coalition government should resign if a party chooses to leave the government. Despite the fact that the parliamentary situation is unchanged, it needs to be tried again.”
Her resignation was a shocking twist in a dramatic and historic day in Swedish politics. Hours earlier, the Swedish parliament had approved Ms. Andersson as the country’s first female leader after she recently became the head of the ruling Social Democratic Party.
With the budget vote approaching, Ms. Andersson had said earlier on Wednesday that she would not resign if she lost, but changed her mind later in the day.
“I am of the opinion that [the opposition budget] as a whole is something I can live with,” Ms Andersson had told reporters at a news conference.
Her appointment was initially a notable milestone for Sweden amid gender equality as the country was yet to have a woman in the top political post.
Andersson had been tapped to replace Stefan Lofven as party leader and prime minister, roles he relinquished earlier this year.
Former sports director of Barcelona and former French international, Éric Abidal on Tuesday, November 23, apologized to his wife, who has requested a divorce after he allegedly confessed to having an affair with PSG women’s star Kheira Hamraoui, who was attacked by masked men.
“Forgive me. Your decision does not matter, you will continue to be in my eyes the woman of my life, and above all the mother of our wonderful children. I deserve this humiliation even though it is killing me alive,” the former footballer told Hayet Abidal in a message in his Instagram account.
31-year-old Hamraoui was attacked on November 4, while being driven home by PSG team-mate Aminata Diallo, 26, before two masked men stopped the car and beat her with iron bars that she required stitches.
According to Le Monde, the attackers shouted ‘you like to sleep with married men’ during the incident.
Diallo was initially arrested on suspicion of hiring the men to attack Hamraoui, a midfielder who was her direct rival for a place in the PSG team.
But reports in France later emerged regarding Abidal’s alleged involvement.
Le Monde claim the attack might have had something to do with alleged relations between Hamraoui and Abidal.
The publication adds that the day after the attack Hamraoui called Abidal up and that investigators have since established that her phone is registered in Abidal’s name.
42-year-old Abidal has been married to his wife, Hayet Abidal since 2003 and they have five children together. Le Monde says it is possible she could also be called upon as a witness.
After the former footballer was mentioned in the case, his Algerian wife filed for divorce after finding out about her husband’s relationship with Paris Saint-Germain women’s footballer Kheira Hamraoui.
A statement from her lawyers claimed that Abidal ‘admitted’ having an affair with Hamraoui after French prosecutors in the Paris suburb of Versailles announced the SIM card link.
Eric Abidal, a household name in France, was Barcelona’s sporting director from 2018 to 2020, during which time Hamraoui was with the women’s team.
Italy’s antitrust watchdog has fined U.S. tech giants Apple and Amazon more than 200 million euros ($225 million) for alleged anti-competitive cooperation in the sale of Apple and Beats products.
Contractual provisions of a 2018 agreement between the companies meant only selected resellers were allowed to sell Apple and Beats products on Amazon, the competition watchdog said, adding that this was in violation of European Union rules.
The watchdog ordered Apple to pay 134.5 million euros and e-commerce firm Amazon 68.7 million euros for infringing EU laws through restrictions that penalized sellers of Apple and Beats products.
Both Apple and Amazon said they plan to appeal against the fines.
“We reject the ICA’s suggestion that Amazon benefits by excluding sellers from our store, since our business model relies on their success.”
Apple said it respects the Italian Competition Authority “but believe we have done nothing wrong.”
“Teaming up with selected resellers helps customer safety because it ensures products are genuine. Non-genuine products deliver an inferior experience and can often be dangerous.” Apple said
“To ensure our customers purchase genuine products, we work closely with our reseller partners and have dedicated teams of experts around the world who work with law enforcement, customs, and merchants to ensure only genuine Apple products are being sold.”
A woman believed to be the oldest person to ever walk the earth and also the last surviving woman who was born in the 19th century has sadly passed away.
Francisca Susano, who was fondly called Lola Iska, died on Monday night, Nov. 22, at her home in the Philippines.
She was reportedly 124 years old, making her the oldest person ever.
The local government in her hometown of Kabankalan, in Negros Occidental, confirmed the news on social media.
On Facebook, the City Government of Kabankalan said: “It is with sadness in our heart when we received the news that our beloved Lola Francisca Susano passed away early this Monday evening November 22.
“Lola Iska is considered the oldest person in Negros Occidental and the Philippines.
“Mayor Pedro Zayco, Vice Mayor Raul Rivera and all city officials, as well as all the people of Kabankalan City, condoles and prays with the family of Lola Iska in their period of bereavement.
“Lola Iska will always remain as our inspiration and pride.”
According to officials, this supercentenarian was the world’s only surviving person born in the 19th century.
Documents show that she was born on September 11, 1897.
It is believed that Lola survived this long by having a healthy diet that mainly consisted of vegetables and a little meat with no pork. She also credited not drinking alcohol as playing a big role in her long life.
So far, authorities are unsure about the cause of Lola’s death, according to city public information officer Jake Carlyne Gonzales, who spoke to CNN Philippines. However, it is unlikely that the cause of her death was Covid-19, as she showed no outward symptoms of the illness.
According to local officials, Lola’s age surpassed previous record holders by nearly two years, though independent sources were not able to verify this claim before her death.
As recently as this September, the Guinness World Records was still going over the documents needed for her to be officially declared as the world’s oldest person.
Currently, the official record holder for the oldest person to ever live belongs to Jeanne Calment who was born in 1875 and lived to be 122 years and 164 days old.
Her age was independently verified as the Frenchwoman passed away in 1997 after outliving both her daughter and grandson.
A man who was in jail for 43 years for a triple murder he says he didn’t commit has been released and exonerated.
Kevin Strickland, 62, from Missouri in the United States, was wrongly convicted of the crimes in 1978, and was found guilty on all charges the following year.
He has pleaded innocence ever since he was arrested for the deaths of Sherrie Black, 22, Larry Ingram, 22, and John Walker, 20, who were targeted in a ransacking in Kansas City on 25 April 1978.
Strickland was released from Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri on Tuesday, Nov. 23, hours after the judge reached his exoneration verdict.
His is thought to be one of the longest cases of wrongful conviction in American history.
It’s said fellow inmates in the prison cheered and beat on bars in jail cells as he walked out of prison.
Newly freed Mr Strickland said to reporters outside court that he “didn’t think this day would come.”
According to The Kansas City Newspaper he also claimed on his way out that “they knew from Day One that I didn’t commit this crime”.
Judge James Welsh wrote in his ruling: “Under these unique circumstances, the Court’s confidence in Strickland’s conviction is so undermined that it cannot stand, and the judgment of conviction must be set aside.
“The State of Missouri shall immediately discharge Kevin Bernard Strickland from its custody.”
There was no physical evidence to connect Strickland to the crime scene, as he told detectives he was at home watching television at the time of the murders.
He was convicted based on evidence given by witness Cynthia Douglas, who escaped during the deadly ransack of the property.
In later years she tried to have her testimony recanted after saying she was pressured by police but died before this could be achieved.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), yesterday, said 25 schools had been attacked and 1,440 pupils abducted in Nigeria this year.
This was contained in a report released on Tuesday November 23, titled, ‘Children in West and Central Africa among those Who Suffer Highest Rates of Grave Violations in Armed Conflict’.
The organization said over the past five years, the West and Central Africa regions have consistently had some of the highest numbers of UN-verified “grave violations” against children in armed conflict.
It said since 2016, the regions have recorded more than 21,000 children verified by the United Nations (UN) as recruited and used by armed forces and non-state armed groups, and more than 2,200 child victims of sexual violence.
“More than 3,500 children were abducted and more than 1,500 incidents of attacks on schools and hospitals were recorded,” the report reads.
“In Nigeria, there have been 25 attacks on schools so far this year, with 1,440 students abducted. Nigerian children continue to suffer the impact of crisis. A protracted conflict has been raging in northeast Nigeria for 12 years now. Thousands of children in the region have been killed, maimed, abducted, displaced, and experienced multiple violations of their human rights.”
According to the report, Phuong Nguyen, UNICEF chief field officer in Maiduguri, described the situation as “unacceptable”.
“Nigerian children – whether they are the direct targets of violence or collateral victims of conflict – are caught up in the ongoing insecurity we are seeing across the country. This is unacceptable,” Nguyen said.
“This important report shows the extent of the grave violations of children’s rights in Nigeria and across the West and Central Africa region – violations that must be ended by all parties to conflict.
“Children must have an opportunity to grow, learn, work and contribute to the healthy future of this country. That can only happen if they are protected from violence and the worst impacts of conflict.”
Napoli football club of Italy, who top the Italian league table, have suffered a huge blow in their chase for the Serie A title with star striker Victor Osimhen ruled out for three months, meaning he will also miss the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria as well.
Osimhen, 22, sustained fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket during Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Inter Milan after clashing heads with defender Milan Skriniar.
Napoli said on Tuesday, November 23, that the striker has undergone surgery on the injury, and will be out for three months as a result.
Osimhen has scored nine goals in 14 appearances for Napoli this season, and his injury serves as a devastating blow for the Serie A leaders, who top the table by goal difference after 13 games.
‘On Tuesday morning, Victor Osimhen was operated on his cheekbone and eye socket by Gianpaolo Tartaro, who was assisted by Dr Mario Santagata with Dr Raffaele Canonico also present,’ Napoli announced on social media.
‘Titanium plates and screws were used in the operation. The player is doing well and will remain under observation for the next few days.
The 22-year-old was the joint top scorer in qualifying for the delayed AFCON tournament with five goals.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, earlier today held a press conference in which he condemned the report by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, describing it as ”fake”.
Recall that last Monday, the report was presented to the state governor and it indicted the Nigerian Army and Police. The report also accused security agents of carrying out a ”massacre” during the October 20, Lekki tollgate incident.
At the press conference today, Mr. Mohammed said the report was riddled with so many errors and inconsistencies. He rejected the notion that soldiers and policemen massacred innocent Nigerians at the Lekki Tollgate. He also asked relatives of the victims to come forward with evidence, saying that “any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worthy to be called a parent”.
Read the full text of his speech below
Good morning gentlemen,
2. It’s no longer news that the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry that investigated cases of police brutality as well as the incident of Oct. 20th, 2020, at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos has submitted its report. The submission happened while I was out of the country on national assignment. Unlike many commentators and analysts, we took our time to read and digest the report, and we are now well placed to respond.
3. Without mincing words, let me say that never in the history of any Judicial Panel in this country has its report been riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence. What is circulating in public space is simply a rehash of the unverified fake news that has been playing on social media since the incident of Oct. 20th 2020. It is simply incredible that a Judicial Panel set up to investigate an incident has submitted a report laden with allegations, the same allegations it was set up to investigate in the first instance. Instead of sitting for all of one year, the panel could have just compiled social media ‘tales by the moonlight’ on the incident and submitted, saving taxpayers’ funds and everyone’s time. That report is nothing but the triumph of fake news and the intimidation of a silent majority by a vociferous lynch mob.
4. Gentlemen, we have read some critical analysis of the report by a courageous few. One commentator, a lawyer, said it raised more questions than answers. Another commentator, a journalist, called it a ‘disgraceful report by a disgraceful panel’, saying it reported allegations instead of investigating the allegations. Yet another wondered how a Judicial Panel could use the words ‘massacre in context’ and equate such to a massacre. All these and many more have raised valid questions on that report. We salute their courage and refusal to be cowed by the rampaging lynch mob that has been screaming blue murder since the report was released.
5. We do not intend to bore you by rehashing details of the discrepancies, innuendoes, inconsistencies and errors in that report. They are already in the public space. Let us, however, point out some key highlights of such discrepancies, errors, omissions, etc.
i) – The report threw away the testimony of ballistic experts who testified before it. The experts said, inter alia, in their testimony:
”The Team finds that from the medical data examined, including the timeline of arrival at medical facility and the nature of the injuries sustained by the Victims, who were taken to the 5 medical facilities, that no military grade live ammunition (high-velocity) was fired at the protesters at Lekki Tollgate on 20th October 2020, within the timeframe of reference (18.30- 20.34hrs). That the GSW (Gun Shot Wounds) injuries (4 in number between 19:05 and 19:45 hrs), which were examined by the Team, can be safely identified as being discharged by either low velocity caliber and/or artisanal/12-gauge firearms (artisanal firearms are locally-fabricated weapons). What is however certain is that had the military personnel deliberately fired military grade live ammunition directly at the protesters; there would have been significantly more fatalities and catastrophic injuries recorded. This was clearly not the case.’’
ii) – The same panel that said it deemed as credible the evidence of the Forensic Pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, that only three of the bodies on which post mortem were conducted were from Lekki and only one had gunshot injury went on to contradict itself by saying nine persons died of gunshot wounds at Lekki!
iii) – The man whose evidence (that he counted 11 bodies in a military van where he was left for dead before he escaped) was found to be crucial by the panel never testified in person. Rather, the video of his ‘testimony’ was played by someone else. It did not occur to the panel to query the veracity of the testimony of a man who said he was shot and presumed dead but still had time to count dead bodies inside a supposedly dark van at night!
iv) – The panel said trucks with brushes underneath were brought to the Lekki Toll Gate in the morning of Oct. 21 2020 to clean up bloodstains and other evidence, but still found bullet casings at the same site when it visited on Oct. 30th 2020. It said soldiers picked up bullet casings from Lekki Toll Gate on the night of Oct. 20th 2020, yet claimed that policemen came to the same spot to pick the same bullet casings on Oct. 21st 2020!
v) – The panel was silent on the family members of those reportedly killed, merely insinuating they were afraid to testify. Even goats have owners who will look for them if they do not return home, not to talk of human beings. Where are the family members of those who were reportedly killed at Lekki Toll Gate? If the panel is recommending compensation for the families, what are their identities and addresses? Who will receive the compensations when no family members have shown up to date?
vi) – How did a man who reported seeing the lifeless body of his brother himself ended up being on the list of the panel’s deceased persons?
vii) – How can a Judicial Panel convince anyone that the names of some casualties of the Lekki Toll Gate incident listed as numbers 3 (Jide), 42 (Tola) and 43 (Wisdom) are not fictitious names.
viii) – Why did the Judicial Panel feel compelled to concoct a ”massacre in context” as a euphemism for ”massacre”? A massacre is a massacre. What is ”massacre in context?”
ix) – The report never mentioned cases of police personnel who were brutally murdered or the massive destruction of police stations, vehicles, e.t c during the Endsars protest. Does this mean that the panel didn’t consider policemen and women as human beings?
x) – The report didn’t make any recommendation on the innocent people whose businesses were attacked and destroyed during the protest in Lagos. I think it was too busy looking for evidence to support its conclusion of ‘massacre in context’.
6. It is clear, from the ongoing, that the report of the panel in circulation cannot be relied upon because its authenticity is in doubt. Besides, the Lagos State Government, being the convening authority, has yet to release any official report to the public.
Neither has the panel done so. The cowardly leakage of an unsigned report to the public is not enough. Assuming the report in circulation bears any iota of genuineness, it is basic knowledge that the report of such a panel is of no force until the convening authority issues a White Paper and Gazette on it. It is therefore too premature for any person or entity to seek to castigate the Federal Government and its agencies or officials based on such an unofficial and unvalidated report.
7. CNN AND OTHERS
The CNN has been celebrating the leaked report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry. In its rush to claim vindication, CNN apparently didn’t even read the report before rolling out the drums in celebration. By that action, CNN has celebrated prematurely and has now committed a double faux pas: First, by relying on unverified social media stories and videos to carry out an investigation of the Oct. 20th 2020 incident at Lekki, where it did not have a correspondent on ground.
CNN goofed in its report on the findings of the panel, which fell below the main standards of journalism. Secondly, CNN rushed to the air to celebrate an unsigned and unverified report that is riddled with inconsistencies, errors, discrepancies, innuendoes. That’s double faux pas by a news organization that is eager and willing to compromise standards just to claim vindication.
8. Sadly, a section of the Nigerian media has also joined the lynch mob. Honestly, in an attempt to vilify government at all costs, they have done themselves a great disservice. How can any news organization worth its salt write an Editorial validating this kind of report? Are they not seeing what others, including journalists and lawyers, are seeing? In a shocking twist, a Nigerian newspaper chose to hail what it calls ‘’detailed investigative report’’ by CNN, even when the news channel did not even cover the incident of Oct. 20th 2020! It’s a classic case of cutting your nose to spite your face.
9 CONCLUSIONS i) – Gentlemen, there is absolutely nothing in the report that is circulating to make us change our stand that there was no massacre at Lekki on Oct. 20th 2020. For us to change our stand, a well-investigated report of the incident that meets all required standards and will withstand every scrutiny must be produced and presented to the public. The report in circulation does not meet those requirements.
We also appeal to the families of those allegedly killed in Lekki to speak out. It’s untenable to say that some families did not come out because they are afraid. Any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worth to be called a parent.
ii) – We reject the notion that our soldiers and policemen massacred innocent Nigerians at Lekki on Oct. 20th 2020. That conclusion is not supported by the weight of available evidence. Indictment for murder is a very serious issue that cannot be done on the basis of allegations and corroborations, as the panel did.
Such allegations must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The report in circulation is calculated to embarrass the Federal Government and its agencies without foolproof evidence. The Federal Government has never condoned the abuse of the rights of Nigerians by security agencies under any guise, hence it disbanded SARS and encouraged states to set up the panels to investigate reports of human rights abuses allegedly committed by the disbanded SARS personnel
iii) – The 37 policemen and six soldiers who died across the country during the Endsars protest are also Nigerians and should not be forgotten.
iv) – Those who have engaged in premature celebration of the report in circulation should now go back and read it thoroughly and tell Nigerians whether it can pass any serious scrutiny.
v) – We are saddened that anyone died at all during the Endsars protest as the life of every Nigerian and indeed every human is sacrosanct. As we have disclosed many times, 57 civilians, 37 policemen and six soldiers were killed across the country during the protest, and we commiserate with their families.
10) Gentlemen, I thank you for your kind attention. I will now take your questions.
The Nigerian Army has said a soldier and an IPOB member were killed during a gun battle in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State where troops dispersed some IPOB members who were setting properties of residents ablaze.
According to a statement signed on Tuesday by Major Abubakar Abdullahi, the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division Nigerian Army, the IPOB members set ablaze properties of innocent residents to compel them to comply with the sit-at-home order.
“Troops conducting Exercise Golden Dawn have dispersed IPOB/ESN hoodlums carrying out arson while enforcing the illegitimate Sit-at-Home order imposed by the proscribed group at Awo-Mmamma Community, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State on 22 November 2021.
“In the quest to compel citizens to comply with the unlawful order, IPOB/ESN criminals indulged in harassment, intimidation, and physical abuse of commuters going about their lawful businesses. The criminals went further to carry out arson and destruction of businesses and homes at Ishieke junction (along Owerri-Onitsha expressway) as a vendetta against the citizens for not complying with the illegal order.
“The hoodlums who had earlier blocked the highway, set ablaze a commercial vehicle heading towards Onitsha. Vigilant troops responding to distress calls by motorists and shop owners swiftly moved to the scene and engaged the hoodlums in a firefight. The troops overwhelmed the hoodlums forcing them to scamper in different directions.
“The troops pursued the hoodlums to their hideout in Akatta Community in Oru East LGA, where a member of the group was neutralized in the shootout. While the troops engaged the hoodlums in their hideout, other members of the group who alleged that some individuals had volunteered information to the troops mustered at Ishieke junction and set ablaze houses and businesses of law-abiding citizens.
“The troops again returned to the junction to disperse the hoodlums. Unfortunately, a gallant soldier paid the supreme prize in defence of the people,” the statement by the Nigerian Army read in part.
The military added that there has been an upsurge in criminalities such as kidnapping, carjacking, robbery, unwarranted killing, and arson in Imo State since April 5, 2021, when some unscrupulous elements invaded the Custodial Centre in Owerri and freed more than 1,800 inmates.
“Even in the face of unwholesome propaganda by IPOB/ESN, other criminal elements and their collaborators to misinform and mislead Nigerians on the truth regarding the arson at Awo-Mmamma, the NA will continue to remain professional,” the statement added.
The Nigerian Army, therefore, appealed to residents of Imo State to ignore all propaganda and threats and go about their legitimate business.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has slammed his former club Manchester United following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The AC Milan striker believes Manchester United’s current predicament is partly down to the club being obsessed with its past, saying: ‘You have to think about the present or you should go to a hospital and clean your head.’
Asked about United’s current problems, Zlatan told The Guardian: ‘They talk too much about the past.
‘When I went there I said: “I’m here to focus on the present and to make my own story.” But when you have too much it becomes like a loop.
‘You have to think about the present or you should go to a hospital and clean your head.’
Despite his word of warning for his former side, Ibrahimovic feels the technical quality of the Premier League was lacking somewhat.
‘I had a great experience in England. Manchester United are an amazing club and we won a couple of trophies [the League Cup and the Europa League],’ he said.
‘The quality is overrated in a technical way. But the Premier League has different qualities – the pace, the rhythm. You can be the best player in the world but if you cannot handle that pace and rhythm [you won’t succeed].
‘In Spain, France, Italy, the technique is better. That’s why there are so many foreigners in the Premier League. They bring the technical [aspect].’
The striker is still going strong for club and country at 40 years old, scoring five goals in just seven Serie A games for AC Milan so far this season and returning to the Sweden team this year.
Female journalists and presenters have also been ordered to wear headscarves on screen, although the guidelines do not say which type of covering to use.
The latest set of Taliban guidelines, which have been issued to Afghan television channels, features eight new rules.
They include the banning of films considered against the principles of Sharia – or Islamic – law and Afghan values, while footage of men exposing intimate parts of the body is prohibited.
Comedy and entertainment shows that insult religion or may be considered offensive to Afghans are also forbidden.
The Taliban have insisted that foreign films promoting foreign cultural values should not be broadcast.
Before the rule, Afghan television channels used to show mostly foreign dramas with lead female characters.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in mid-August and many fear they are gradually imposing harsh restrictions in the country that was formerly under democratic rule.
The militant Islamist group, which took control following the departure of US and allied forces, almost immediately instructed girls and young women to stay home from school.
During their previous rule in the 1990s, women were barred from education and the workplace.
A Nigerian national, Uche Raymond Okoye has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment for defrauding a 65-year-old woman of $6 million (approximately N2.5 billion) in Guyana.
Okoye, also known as Uche Parker who is currently facing several other fraud charges before the Magistrate’s Court was sentenced on ten of those charges on Friday.
He was found guilty November 03, 2021 on ten counts of Obtaining Money by False Pretence from the woman, a pensioner.
At Friday’s sentencing hearing before Magistrate Anette Singh at the Georgetown Magistratre’s Court, he was sentenced to one year imprisonment on each of the ten charges.
During a plea in mitigation Uche agreed to repay the victim some of the money he defrauded her. There are other matters still being prosecuted against him by the Special Organised Crime Unit.
Several ongoing romance package scams and pyramid schemes are reportedly being operated in Guyana by Nigerian Nationals who are in Guyana illegally; where victims are lured by persons they meet online who influence them to part with their cash.
This organized crime is being investigated by the Special Organised Crime Unit and citizens of Guyana are encouraged not to send money to persons they meet online.
The matter was prosecuted by Attorney-at-Law Tuanna Hardy from the Special Organised Crime Unit and the accused was represented by Attorney at Law Melvin Duke.
Octopuses, crabs, crayfish and lobsters are capable of experiencing pain or suffering, according to a review commissioned by the UK government, adding that the animals should be given protection under new animal welfare laws as they are sentient beings.
The report by experts at the London School of Economics looked at 300 scientific studies to evaluate evidence of sentience, and they concluded that cephalopods (such as octopuses, squid and cuttlefish) and decapods (such as crabs, lobsters and crayfish) should be treated as sentient beings.
Vertebrates, animals with a backbone, are already classified as sentient in new animal welfare legislation in the United Kingdom.
The Bill, which isn’t yet law, will establish an Animal Sentience Committee, which will issue reports on how well government decisions have taken into account the welfare of sentient animals. It is part of a wider government Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
“The Animal Welfare Sentience Bill provides a crucial assurance that animal wellbeing is rightly considered when developing new laws. The science is now clear that decapods and cephalopods can feel pain and therefore it is only right they are covered by this vital piece of legislation,” said Animal Welfare Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith in a statement.
The report said lobsters and crabs shouldn’t be boiled alive and included best practices for the transport, stunning and slaughter of decapods and cephalopods.
The report used eight different ways to measure sentience including learning ability, possession of pain receptors, connections between pain receptors and certain brain regions, response to anesthetics or analgesics, and behaviors including balancing threat against opportunity for reward and protection against injury or threat.
It found “very strong” evidence of sentience in octopods and “strong” evidence in most crabs. For other animals in these two groups, such as squid, cuttlefish and lobsters they found the evidence was substantial but not strong.
“Scientific attention has gravitated towards some (animals) rather than others for reasons of practical convenience (e.g. which animals can be kept well in labs) and geography (e.g. which species are available where a lab is located). Because of this situation, we think it would be inappropriate to limit protection to specific orders of cephalopod, or to specific infraorders of decapod,” the report said.
Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi has reiterated his desire to return to Barcelona one day because he’s keen ‘to help the club in whatever way he can’.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner left his beloved Barcelona in the summer after financial turmoil denied him a new contract.
Messi has already expressed his intention to eventually return to Spain and has now reinforced his preference.
‘I have always said that I was going to return to Barcelona in some moment because it was my home and I lived there,’ he told Marca.
‘I would always like to help the club in whatever way I can and obviously, if I can contribute and help the club, I would love to return.’
Messi had to sensationally walk away from Barcelona and leave the Spanish giants for good, despite being widely expected to remain at the Nou Camp.
After becoming a free agent following the expiration of his deal, he did look set to re-sign with the club. He was in line for a fresh long-term deal, on lower pay, but an agreement could not be reached due to financial LaLiga regulations.
Instead, the Argentina international completed a stunning move to PSG on a two-year deal worth £1million a week.
At least 45 people including 12 children have been killed after a bus caught fire on a highway in western Bulgaria early on Tuesday.
A senior interior ministry official confirmed that children were among the dead and seven people, who had jumped out of the burning bus had been taken to hospital for treatment in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, with burns.
The incident happened on the Struma Highway, 28 miles west of Sofia, at around 2am local time, and either the “bus caught fire and crashed, or crashed and then caught fire”, Nikolai Nikolov said.
He said there were 45 fatalities. But the ministry later said there were 46 casualties, before giving a further update of one less than the toll given earlier.
There were 53 people on board the bus, it added.
Most of the victims were tourists from North Macedonia, an official from the country’s embassy told BTV.
They were on their way back to Skopje, the capital, after a weekend holiday trip to Istanbul in Turkey, said North Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osman.
“People are clustered inside and are burnt to ash,” said Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov.
“The picture is terrifying, terrifying. I have never seen anything like that before,” he told reporters at the site.
The cause of the incident is unclear, but Bulgarian officials said the bus appeared to have struck a road barrier either before or after it caught fire.
Bulgarian investigative service chief Borislav Sarafov said either there had been a “human error by the driver or a technical malfunction”.
Footage showed the burnt-out bus charred and gutted by the blaze, surrounded by firefighters and emergency crews who had rushed to the scene which was sealed off.
“I am terrified. This is such a huge tragedy,” North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told BTV.
Representatives from Macedonia’s embassy visited the hospital where some of the victims were taken, according to Bulgarian news agency Novinite.
A hospital official said the survivors receiving treatment were all in a stable condition.
Bulgarian interim Prime Minister Stefan Yanev visited the crash site and described the incident as “a huge tragedy”.
“I take this opportunity to send my condolences to the relatives of the victims,” he said.
“Let’s hope we learn lessons from this tragic incident and we can prevent such incidents in the future.”
Reagan To, the Squid Game actress who voiced the Red Light, Green Light doll, has revealed her parents won’t let her watch the violent Netflix hit because she’s too young.
The 10-year-old voiced the terrifying Red Light, Green Light doll in Squid Game’s English language dub.
But despite being famous around the world, Reagan still hasn’t watched the gory Netflix hit.
‘I have not watched any of it,’ To, who also voices the daughter of the main character, told The Morning Show on Tuesday.
According to her, she did manage hear her voice in one scene ‘right before the violence’ began, but her mother abruptly turned off the TV.
The scene in question, in which Reagan voices a giant doll overseeing a deadly children’s game, features the show’s highest body count as losing contestants are mercilessly gunned down.
‘Even my brother – he’s 14 – my parents don’t even allow him to watch it,’ said To.
German giants, Bayern Munich have cut the wages of their five unvaccinated players who were forced to quarantine due to coming into contact with a Covid-positive person.
Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Michael Cuisance have all been told by the German club that they will not be paid for every game or day of training they miss when self-isolating after they all refused to get the vaccine.
According to German news outlet Bild, Bayern told the players last week that they would be withholding pay if anyone missed work due to being unvaccinated.
The report comes days after Bayern suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of local rivals Augsburg on Friday, which saw Kimmich, the midfield star for both Bayern and Germany, miss the encounter after he was forced to quarantine.
Gnabry started that match, while Musiala and Choupo-Moting came on as substitutes, while Cuisance was an unused substitute. Those four players were all then placed into quarantine following a new exposure to Covid.
Their Bayern team-mates Niklas Sule and Josip Stanisic had tested positive for Covid last week, with the club confirming that those two players were vaccinated.
The news of withheld wages comes less than a week after the five Bayern players were told that they have been banned from staying in the same hotel as their team-mates ahead of a match and must travel to games separately too due to tightening restrictions in the country over a spike in coronavirus cases.
German news publication Kicker are reporting that the five players are irritated that news of their docked wages has been leaked publicly.
The damning report also revealed that there has been a loss of trust from the players, with team morale low as a result.
While the decision to dock the unvaccinated players’ wages may have caused unrest, Bayern’s former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge supported the decision.
‘Everyone has tried to sort out the non-vaccination issue and find a solution,’ Rummenigge said.
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai (fourth from the left ) appeared at a Beijing tennis tournament Sunday, November 21, according to official event photos, after international pressure mounted for information about her wellbeing.
The two-time Grand Slam doubles champion had not been seen publicly since alleging earlier this month that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli, now in his 70s, forced her into sex during an on-off relationship spanning several years.
In the footage, Peng can be seen in a navy sports jacket and white track pants at the Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Finals, according to photos published on the official Weibo account of the China Open.
Following a global outcry, including from tennis superstars and the United Nations, Chinese state media reporters released the footage to show all is well with Peng.
A video from the event, tweeted by Global Times newspaper editor Hu Xijin, shows Peng standing in a stadium among a group of guests whose names are announced.
A Global Times reporter tweeted another video showing Peng signing autographs for children at what appears to be the same stadium before posing for photos with them.
Hu also posted two other videos on Saturday, the first showing Peng walking into a restaurant wearing a coat, knit cap and face mask.
A visible sign says Beijing Yibin Guesthouse, a famous restaurant at the Sichuan local government.
In the second, Peng is maskless sitting at a table chatting with people over a meal.
The video content showed they are shot on Saturday Beijing time.”
The conversation revolved around “tennis matches”. A man sitting with Peng and two women said “tomorrow is November 20th”.
But one of the women quickly corrects him, saying, “It is the 21st”, implying that the video was filmed on Saturday.
Peng’s claims against Zhang were the first time China’s #MeToo movement has touched the highest echelons of the ruling Communist Party.
They quickly deleted from Weibo, China’s biggest social media platform, and concerns have grown for her safety since.
Women’s Tennis Association boss Steve Simon said he was glad to see the images but “it remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference”.
“This video alone is insufficient,” Simon said in a statement.
“I have been clear about what needs to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads.”
The 2021 American Music Awards aired on Sunday night from Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater to celebrate the best in music with rapper Cardi B as the host.
South Korean pop sensation BTS earned the most wins with three at the 2021 American Music Awards including top honor artist of the year as the most nominated singer Olivia Rodrigo earned new artist of the year.
The seven-member pop boyband consisting of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, were given the most coveted trophy of the night as they beat out top favorites including Ariana Grande, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd.
Rapper of the group, RM, who was the spokesperson of the night had this to say on stage: ‘I seriously forgot what I had to say. Thank you, AMAs. And we’re truly honored to be on this stage with such amazing, tremendous artists right over here.
‘We’re so honored. Thanks for that. Whoo! I’m nervous. Yeah, I’m nervous. Yeah, baby. Four years ago, we gave this first time ever TV live performance on this stage, the AMAs. And we were, like, too excited started and nervous at the time. It’s been a long and amazing time since that.’
The group also won favorite pop song for Butter and favorite pop group or duo.
Pop newcomer Olivia Rodrigo had the most nominations at the event with seven but went home with one win in the coveted new artist of the year category.
The 18-year-old star beat out 24kGoldn, Giveon, Masked Wolf, and The Kid LAROI for the honor.
Here are all the 2021 American Music Awards winners below;
Artist of the year: Ariana Grande WINNER: BTS Drake Olivia Rodrigo Taylor Swift The Weeknd
New artist of the year: 24kGoldn Giveon Masked Wolf WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo The Kid LAROI
Collaboration of the year: 24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood” Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “DÁKITI” Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy” WINNER: Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More” Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon, “Peaches”
Favorite music video: Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open” Cardi B, “Up” WINNER: Lil Nas X, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” Olivia Rodrigo, “drivers license” The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears”
Favorite male pop artist: Drake WINNER: Ed Sheeran Justin Bieber Lil Nas X The Weeknd
Favorite female pop artist: Ariana Grande Doja Cat Dua Lipa Olivia Rodrigo WINNER: Taylor Swift
Favorite pop duo or group: AJR WINNER: BTS Glass Animals Maroon 5 Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
Favorite pop album: Ariana Grande, Positions Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR WINNER: Taylor Swift, evermore The Kid LAROI, F*CK LOVE
Favorite pop song: WINNER: BTS, “Butter” Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More” Dua Lipa, “Levitating” Olivia Rodrigo, “drivers license” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears (Remix)”
Favorite male country artist: Chris Stapleton Jason Aldean WINNER: Luke Bryan Luke Combs Morgan Wallen
Favorite female country artist: WINNER: Carrie Underwood Gabby Barrett Kacey Musgraves Maren Morris Miranda Lambert
Favorite country duo or group: WINNER: Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line Lady A Old Dominion Zac Brown Band
Favorite country album: Chris Stapleton, Starting Over WINNER: Gabby Barrett, Goldmine Lee Brice, Hey World Luke Bryan, Born Here Live Here Die Here Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album
Favorite country song: Chris Stapleton, “Starting Over” Chris Young & Kane Brown, “Famous Friends” WINNER: Gabby Barrett, “The Good Ones” Luke Combs, “Forever After All” Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like”
Favorite male hip-hop artist: WINNER: Drake Lil Baby Moneybagg Yo Polo G Pop Smoke
Favorite female hip-hop artist: Cardi B Coi Leray Erica Banks WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion Saweetie
Favorite hip-hop album: Drake, Certified Lover Boy Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion, Good News Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon Rod Wave, SoulFly
Favorite hip-hop song: WINNER: Cardi B, “Up” Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV, “Lemonade” Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK, “Calling My Phone” Polo G, “RAPSTAR” Pop Smoke, “What You Know Bout Love”
Favorite male R&B artist: Chris Brown Giveon Tank WINNER: The Weeknd Usher
Favorite R&B album: WINNER: Doja Cat, Planet Her Giveon, When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time H.E.R., Back of My Mind Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales Queen Naija, missunderstood
Favorite R&B song: WINNER: Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open” Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy” Giveon, “Heartbreak Anniversary” H.E.R., “Damage” Jazmine Sullivan, “Pick Up Your Feelings”
Favorite male Latin artist: WINNER: Bad Bunny J Balvin Maluma Ozuna Rauw Alejandro
Favorite female Latin artist: WINNER: Becky G Kali Uchis KAROL G Natti Natasha ROSALÍA
Favorite Latin duo or group: WINNER: Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga Calibre 50 Eslabon Armado La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho Los Dos Carnales
Favorite Latin album: WINNER: Bad Bunny, El Último Tour Del Mundo Kali Uchis, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) KAROL G, KG0516 Maluma, Papi Juancho Rauw Alejandro, Afrodisíaco
Favorite Latin song: Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “DÁKITI” Bad Bunny x ROSALÍA, “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE” Farruko, “Pepas” WINNER: Kali Uchis, “telepatía” Maluma & The Weeknd, “Hawái (Remix)”
Favorite rock artist: AJR All Time Low Foo Fighters Glass Animals WINNER: Machine Gun Kelly
A car traveling at high speed ploughed into a Christmas parade in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, killing at least five people and injuring 40 others, including at least 12 children.
Terrifying video posted to social media shows a speeding red SUV ram into a large crowd marching in the middle of the street during the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha.
Another video shows the speeding SUV narrowly miss a young girl who was dancing in the street. Several witnesses reported seeing small children laying on the ground after they were hit by the car.
Despite earlier reports of gunshots, police said they do not believe the driver was armed.
A person of interest is now in custody, according to police.
11 adults, including a priest, and 12 children were rushed to six different hospitals in the area, the head of the fire department said. They include several elderly women who were part of a “Dancing Grannies” float and members of a schoolgirls’ dance team, according to reports.
Children’s Wisconsin, a pediatric hospital in Milwaukee, said it was treating 15 patients who were hurt in the parade. The hospital said there were no fatalities as of late Sunday night.
Aurora Medical Center-Summit, a hospital in Waukesha County, told CNN that it is treating 13 patients.
Three are listed in critical condition, four in serious condition and six in fair condition.
Authorities will release information about fatalities after notifying next of kin.
At around 7:15pm local time, the Waukesha Police Department sent a push alert to cell phones of residents in the area asking them to shelter in place “within a half-mile radius of the 5 points downtown.”
“We have a person of interest that we are looking into at this time,” Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson told reporters.
Thompson said that the SUV rammed into the crowd at 4:39pm local time – 39 minutes after the parade started.
“The Waukesha Christmas parade was taking place when a red SUV drove through the barricades westbound heading down Main Street…An officer did discharge his weapon at the suspect vehicle to try to stop the vehicle,” Thompson said.
“No bystanders were injured as a result of the weapon discharge. The officer involved has been with the department for six-and-a-half years.”
“What took place in Waukesha today is sickening, and I have every confidence that those responsible will be brought to justice,” tweeted the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Josh Kaul.
Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly ready to join Manchester United’s call if they want him to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager at Old Trafford.
According to Sportsmail, Pochettino is prepared to quit Paris Saint-Germain and return to the Premier League after Solskjaer was axed on Sunday.
United has already put coach Michael Carrick in charge on a caretaker basis while they look to appoint an interim boss until the end of the season, suggesting that Solskjaer’s permanent replacement may not be installed until the summer.
However, it’s understood that Pochettino is prepared to leave PSG now because he is unhappy in the French capital.
The former Tottenham boss is living in a hotel while his family remains in London, and is said to be frustrated at managing a dressing-room with big egos like Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.
Pochettino was heavily linked with the United job when Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in December 2018 and is still admired by the Old Trafford hierarchy.
The 49-year-old Argentine will be in England on Tuesday ahead of PSG’s clash with Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday. Although the United board is yet to make contact with him on Sunday night.
Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers and Ralf Rangnick are all candidates who would be interested in the United job.
A man wanted for fatally stabbing his father 46 times and leaving the corpse in a plastic bag on a Brooklyn street has been arrested in Louisiana.
The suspect, Joseph Adams, 26, was arrested in Gretna and brought back to the Big Apple in connection to the gruesome Oct. 16 murder of 49-year-old Christopher Adams in Cypress Hills, police said in a statement.
The victim’s body was found alongside a pile of garbage awaiting pickup at about 12:35 p.m. near Van Sinderen and Herkimer streets on Oct. 26., police said.
By then, the 49-year-old victim’s corpse was so badly decomposed police could not immediately determine his sex or cause of death.
Joseph Adams was caught after an eagle-eyed Louisiana officer pulled over the suspect’s car in Gretna and determined he was wanted by the NYPD, cops said.
NYPD detectives traveled to Louisiana and extradited the suspect to Brooklyn, an NYPD spokeswoman said. Adams was arraigned over the weekend.
Joseph Adams is charged with murder, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon, cops said.
It is still not known why he stabbed his own father 46 times. Sources say he lawyered up immediately and has not spoken since.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been sacked as Manchester United manager following Saturday’s shocking 4-1 away defeat by Watford.
Solskjaer, an icon of the club, had been in charge of United for nearly three years but pressure on his position started building after humiliating losses to Liverpool and Man City despite having star players Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane in the squad.
The club heirarchy had a meeting early Sunday morning, November 21, and agreed to part ways with Solksjaer and will pay him a £7.5m severance fee due to the fact he signed a new 3 year deal in June.
Posting on its social media platforms, Manchester United wrote;
‘Manchester United can confirm that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has left his role as manager. Thank you for everything Ole.’
The favourites to succeed Solskjaer are Zinedine Zidane, Brendan Rodgers, Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag.
In 165 games, Solksjaer had 91 Wins, 40 defeats and 34 draws.
Some states in the US have announced plans to investigate how social media sites, Instagram targets children, despite it posing potential risks to them.
The group of states- made up of both Democrat and Republican states – is investigating Instagram and Facebook’s parent company Meta to determine if consumer protection laws were broken.
It comes after a Facebook company whistleblower testified in the US that the company knew its products can harm children. Facebook, which owns Instagram and WhatsApp changed its name to Meta last month after a series of scandals came to public knowledge.
Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen, in testimony to lawmakers in the US, said the company knowingly pushed its platforms to young children despite knowing that they could cause health issues.
In September, the platform abandoned plans for a child-focused app after a group of over 40 state attorneys general wrote and urged them to cancel it.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat who first announced the inquiry, tweeted:
“Facebook, or Meta, has known Instagram is linked to depression, eating disorders & suicide among young people.”
“We will identify if any laws were broken and end the abuse for good.”
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, a Republican, said that the companies “treat our children as mere commodities to manipulate for longer screen time engagement and data extraction”.
“These social media platforms are extremely dangerous and have been proven to cause both physical and mental harm in young people,” added New York Attorney General Letitia James.
A Meta spokesman pushed back against the allegations on Thursday, November 18 .
“These accusations are false and demonstrate a deep misunderstanding of the facts,” a spokesman said in a statement.
“While challenges in protecting young people online impact the entire industry, we’ve led the industry in combating bullying and supporting people struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-injury, and eating disorders,” he added.
A jealous girlfriend who doused her sleeping boyfriend with acid because after she mistakenly thought he was having an affair, has been jailed for 14 years.
Esther Afrifa, 28 reportedly bought a litre of sulphuric acid from the Internet and left it by her bedside ready to attack 29-year-old Kelvin Pogo at their home in Wembley, north London.
After dousing her sleeping boyfriend with acid, Afrifa went to extraordinary lengths to stop Mr. Pogo from getting medical treatment, leaving him with life-changing injuries that have left him with suicidal thoughts.
Mr Pogo told the Standard: ‘Every day I wake up is like the day she attacked me. It’s like time has stopped.
‘Every time there is a knock at the door I’m scared someone is going to hurt me. She used to be my world and she did this to me. I just can’t understand it.’
Afrifa poured acid onto Mr. Pogo’s chest at 3.30am on December 22, 2019, and it quickly burned through his t-shirt, a trial at Harrow Crown Court heard.
At first, he did not realise his girlfriend was responsible and asked her to get help before pouring holy water on his wounds. She pretended to call 999, blocked his friends from calling, and cancelled a taxi that was due to take him to the hospital.
Afrifa struck again while Mr. Pogo lay resting on the sofa with already painful wounds, pouring more acid over his face and body. He ran from the flat screaming and was helped by a passing stranger who got him medical help.
The boyfriend, who Afrifa wrongly believed was sleeping with a university classmate – said she also tried to get him to drink acid from a Nike sports bottle but he was only saved due to his distrust of tap water since his childhood in Africa.
Mr. Pogo, who moved to Britain to study film, was left with continuing mental trauma and permanent damage to his eyes, head, face, and upper body.
Sentencing Afrifa to 14 years in prison, Judge Charles Bourne QC called it ‘a truly a wicked thing to do’.
Afrifa was arrested after being found nearby loitering in an alleyway. She was taken into custody and later charged.
Detective Constable Tom Dawood, the investigating officer, said: ‘The victim suffered horrific and extensive injuries at the hands of Afrifa and has endured months of surgeries and hospital visits since the attack.
‘I would like to commend colleagues from London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade who attended the scene quickly and provided vital first aid that has undoubtedly reduced the severity of his injuries.
‘I am pleased that Afrifa has been brought to justice for her horrific crime and will now serve a significant custodial sentence.’
She is likely to be deported to Ghana after her release.
FC Barcelona striker and Manchester City legend, Sergio Aguero is set to retire from football next week, according to emerging reports from Spain.
The 33-year-old Argentine superstar is set to depart the game after 18 years at a professional level, following recent complications that came to light in one of his first La Liga matches at the Camp Nou club.
Aguero suffered a cardiac arrhythmia during a 1–1 home draw against Alavés at the start of November, a problem that had originally ruled the Argentine out of action for three months.
However, according to an emerging report from journalist Gerard Romero, Sergio Aguero will now in fact retire from the game as a direct result of the aforementioned difficulties.
According to Romero, a press conference has been scheduled to announce the retirement of Sergio Aguero from football, in what will undoubtedly be an emotional occasion.
Aguero played just five games for the Blaugrana and managed to find the back of the net once, doing so in the Clasico against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou.
In total, he played 165 minutes for Barcelona in LaLiga Santander and Champions League before leaving the pitch against Alaves due to chest discomfort.
Medical exams showed that Aguero suffered an arrhythmia and although those around him have tried to play down scenarios regarding a potential retirement, the Argentine has decided to call it a day with his football career.
“As was the case when President George W Bush had the same procedure in 2002 and 2007, and following the process set out in the Constitution, President Biden will transfer power to the Vice President for the brief period of time when he is under anaesthesia,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “The Vice President will work from her office in the West Wing during this time.”
Mr. Biden arrived at the Walter Reed Medical Centre on Friday for his annual physical, his first while serving as president.
Ms. Psaki added that the White House will release a report on Mr. Biden’s health later on Friday. The physical was not initially on the public presidential schedule but was announced hours before Mr Biden left the White House at around 8.30am. He arrived at the hospital in Maryland at 8.51am.
Mr. Biden, who turns 79 on Saturday, is the oldest person in US history to hold the office of president.
Before Mr. Biden, Mr. Trump was the oldest president in history at the time of his swearing-in. Mr. Trump was 70 years old when he took office in January 2017. Fellow Republican President Ronald Reagan was the oldest before Mr. Trump. Mr. Reagan was 69 when he took office in 1981 and 77 when he left office in 1989. Mr. Biden took office at the age of 78.
Ms. Harris, who is the first woman to serve as vice president, is also the first woman to wield presidential power.
Following concerns about Mr. Biden’s age, the administration has said on numerous occasions that he would undergo a physical this year and that the results would be public.
US vice president Kamala Harris will serve as acting president while President Joe Biden is under anaesthesia for a routine colonoscopy, the White House has said.
“As was the case when President George W Bush had the same procedure in 2002 and 2007, and following the process set out in the Constitution, President Biden will transfer power to the Vice President for the brief period of time when he is under anaesthesia,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “The Vice President will work from her office in the West Wing during this time.”
Mr. Biden arrived at the Walter Reed Medical Centre on Friday for his annual physical, his first while serving as president.
Ms. Psaki added that the White House will release a report on Mr. Biden’s health later on Friday. The physical was not initially on the public presidential schedule but was announced hours before Mr Biden left the White House at around 8.30am. He arrived at the hospital in Maryland at 8.51am.
Mr. Biden, who turns 79 on Saturday, is the oldest person in US history to hold the office of president.
Before Mr. Biden, Mr. Trump was the oldest president in history at the time of his swearing-in. Mr. Trump was 70 years old when he took office in January 2017. Fellow Republican President Ronald Reagan was the oldest before Mr. Trump. Mr. Reagan was 69 when he took office in 1981 and 77 when he left office in 1989. Mr. Biden took office at the age of 78.
Ms. Harris, who is the first woman to serve as vice president, is also the first woman to wield presidential power.
Following concerns about Mr. Biden’s age, the administration has said on numerous occasions that he would undergo a physical this year and that the results would be public.
Rapists convicted of repeat offences will face chemical castration in Pakistan after a new law was passed following a series of attacks on women and children across the country.
The new legislation will also allow for quicker convictions through the establishment of special courts which will fast-track sexual assault cases.
The legislation forms a series of measures including the creation of a national sex offenders register and the protection of victims’ identities.
The bill also states that the government must establish special fast track courts nation wide to hear rape cases and they will have to reach a verdict within four months.
Anti-rape crisis cells in public hospitals will also be created where victims are able to register their assault and receive a medical examination within hours of the crime.
Those found guilty of gang rape will be sentenced to death or imprisoned for life, and repeat offenders could be subjected to chemical castration.
The move follows a public outcry over the increase in rapes against women and children in Pakistan and the ineffective investigation and prosecution of those sexual violence cases by police.
In December last year, President Arif Alvi signed the legislation after Prime Minister Imran Kahn and his cabinet approved it. But the vote on Wednesday, November 17, in the National Assembly permanently passed the measure into law.
Chemical castration involves using medication to reduce testosterone and has been used for paedophiles in Indonesia since 2016 and child rapists in Poland since 2006.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is refusing to step down as Manchester United coach and he’s ‘frustrated’ that he’s not been given more credit for the job he’s done at the club
The Norwegian is expected to be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Watford, despite humiliating defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool in recent weeks.
United sit sixth in the league table, nine points to leaders Chelsea. Their form has seen Solskjaer lose the support of his dressing room, with senior players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes said to be particularly angry with him.
Rio Ferdinand suggested Solskjaer should resign following the defeat to Pep Guardiola’s men, saying it’s time for the ‘baton to be handed over’.
‘I was always deep down a bit skeptical. Could he take us on to be champions? I wasn’t fully convinced, I hoped he would be able to do that. But what I’ve seen this season I just feel it might be the time now for the baton to be handed over to somebody else who can take us on now,’ said Ferdinand.
But The Sun claims that Solskjaer has absolutely no intention of stepping down at the Theatre of Dreams and is adamant that he can turn things around.
The report also said Solskjaer is angry that his reign is only being judged by the start of this season and he feels people are forgetting the success he’s had.
Brendan Rodgers is reportedly the board’s favourite to replace Solskjaer but the Norwegian could be given until the end of the season if he can turn things around.
The Katsina state government has said that bandits operating in the state are using Radio Frequency Walkie Talkie Transceivers to overcome the shutdown of telecommunications service in the state.
Speaking at a press conference today November 18, the Secretary to the Government of Katsina State, Mustapha Inuwa, said the bandits have been unrelenting in circumventing the security measures devised to curb their activities. The state government had in September cut telecommunications networks in 13 local government areas it said are in the front line of banditry in the state.
“In spite of the successes recorded, however, it is worthy to note that since the commencement of the Containment Order, the bandits’ elements across the frontline local government areas have been unrelenting in devising new strategies aimed at circumventing the impact of the Containment Order.
“The strategies range from attacking motorists/motorcyclists to siphon PMS from fuel tanks, to ransacking communities and coercing villàges into sourcing PMS on their behalf. A recent and most worrisome move by the criminals is the observed acquisition of Radio Frequency Walkie Talkie Transceivers by the bandits,” he said
Mr Inuwa, who is also the chairman of the security committee in the state, said security agents are, however, on the trail of bandits using the walkie-talkie. He added that between March and September, 480 suspected bandits were arrested, 42 of whom are under investigation and 216 under prosecution.
Hundreds of surrendered Boko Haram members who are being held in a camp reportedly rioted on Wednesday, November 17, over cow meat.
Guardian reports that the protesting jihadists, who have been in the camp since August, were demanding authorities hand them the cow they are provided daily to slaughter themselves instead of being provided with the beef from the abattoir.
“People living in the area came out with locally made weapons and vowed to kill any one of the protesters who stepped out of the camp. The people still see them as a security threat,” said Konto Garga, a member of an anti-jihadist militia that helps the army
A resident of the community where the surrendered terrorists are held, Usman Bunu, said people in the area do not believe the surrendered jihadists are sincere and the protest only confirmed their suspicions.
“They still consider anyone not in their fold as an infidel, which is why they want to be allowed to slaughter their cow themselves. Had they come out of the camp we would not have hesitated in finishing them all because we know how dangerous they are” he said
The threat by the armed residents and reinforcement of security personnel ended the riot and the inmates returned to their quarters.
The riot is the second in the camp, with a similar one over the same demand in September, militia leader Babakura Kolo said. The Boko Haram inmates have been unruly since they arrived in the camp, constantly quarreling with his men guarding the camp, and accusing them of looking at their wives, Kolo said.
“They still have Boko Haram mentality and openly insult our men as agents of the infidel government,” Kolo said.
A little boy sparked reaction by doing something out of the ordinary.
The young lad showing off a naked lady has sparked reactions on social media.
A lot of astonishing stuff has been going on all over the country and can be seen making rounds on social media.
In the viral photo, the boy who is identified as Iss Magreva Ntelo via Facebook shared a photo of himself in a bedroom with a young lady who appeared to be naked.
Sharing the photos, he wrote; ‘About to start’.
The photo was greeted with a lot of reactions as social media users expressed disappointment over the upbringing of the boy.
Many questioned who the parent of the little lad is, adding that the world is gradually becoming strange as boys who should be in school are beginning to indulge in adult act.
See post below;
Reacting to the photo, one instagram user named cute_bunnyism wrote; ‘This is disturbing.’
Another Instagram user, hypemanjerry wrote; ‘That’s my problem with Facebook, that boy #Zuckerberg will not being this down but he won’t allow my post on Instagram to breath a second ~ Unbelievable’
Our Client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has instructed us to make the following information public.
1, That despite a Court order to the contrary, the condition of his detention at the DSS headquarters in Abuja continues to be harsh, degrading and inhumane.
2, That he is solitarily confined to a very tiny cell twenty-three (23) hours of the day without access to sunlight and any social interactions whatsoever. He believes that this is aimed at inflicting extreme emotional and mental distress on him and breaking him psychologically.
3, That any detainee who encounters and greets him during the single hour he is allowed outside his cell is promptly put in solitary confinement or transferred to maximum security as a punishment for exchanging mere greetings with him. Because of this, detainees have resorted to avoiding him and exchanging salutations with him, not to talk of any other form of social interactions.
4, That since the Nigerian government extraordinarily renditioned him, he has not been allowed a change of clothing; and his Jewish prayer shawls and other religious materials brought to him by his Counsel were rejected and returned.
5, That the DSS has refused to replace his corrective glasses (lenses) which were smashed to smithereens by agents of the Nigerian government in the process of the violence they unleashed on him while abducting him in Kenya. This has led to a rapid deterioration of his sight.
6, That he is restricted to meeting with his Counsel in an atmosphere devoid of private discussions with his Counsel; and he is oftentimes denied perusal of legal documentation his Counsel brings to him to review.
7, That he is not allowed to sleep with a pillow and this has led to him developing acid reflux which comes with acute burning sensations in his chest, chest pains and extreme difficulty in swallowing.
8, That on the 17th July 2021, one of his Lawyers (the undersigned Barrister Aloy Ejimakor) was detained and interrogated for hours by the DSS when he came to the DSS on visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Mazi Kanu, who witnessed the detention before being led away was very distressed and alarmed by this this incident and he considers it a brazen act of intimidation of his Counsel.
9, That he has, to date, been denied access to the British Consul despite her repeated requests to see him; and on the day of his last court appearance (10th November, 2021), the British Consul who was in Court to observe the proceedings was intimidated by DSS officers, who restricted her from coming close to Mazi Kanu.
10, That, to date, the DSS has denied his repeated requests for an independent medical examination to determine the extent of damage done to his body by a suspected substance he may have been injected with during this abduction and extraordinary rendition. He has reason to believe that the said injected substance is depleting the potassium content of his body, thus causing him constipation, a feeling of skipped heart beats, palpitations, fatigue, muscle weakness/spasms and numbness.
11, That in the circumstance of the forgoing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu continues to have a persistent and heightened feeling of portent threat to his overall well-being and safety within the DSS facility where he is currently detained.
Brazilian model Arthur O Urso decided to marry nine women in a collective wedding to celebrate “free love” and “protest against monogamy”.
The wedding took place in a Catholic church in the city of São Paulo.
Arthur was previously only married to wife Luana Kazaki, with the pair already going on a honeymoon together.
However, they decided to formalise the marriage with nine other women to celebrate free love and protest against monogamy.
Arthur and his first wife Luana are swingers and are known for their love of stripping off.
The couple gained notoriety by sharing naked photos from their honeymoon in a liberal French town, in Cap D’Agde.
In the controversial French city, the wearing of clothes is prohibited, and both enjoyed the trip completely naked in various tourist spots in the city.
