PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 BADAGRY ANGELS WIN LAGOS SOFTBALL TOURNEY  Badagry Angels have been crowned champions of the Lagos U-15 Softball Championship held recently at the Badagry Grammar School playing field, Badagry. The five-day tournament, which began on November 11, 2024, ended on Friday, November 15 where eight teams participated in the competition designed to drive the growth of the sport at the grassroots level. As Champions of the tournament, Badagry Angels showcased their dexterity and skills against Rak Angels in the grand finale, maintaining their good position and dominance on the field before finally trouncing their opponents 9 runs to 1. Speaking after the presentation of medals to the champions, the Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu highlighted the significance of the tournament, which is bringing softball game closer to the suburb, to expand and implement Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's cardinal programme of inclusivity of all Lagosians, irrespective of th

 Agreement with Islamic Republic impossible, says Iran’s exiled Prince Speaking to the US-based television network EWTN on Friday, Prince Reza Pahlavi said, “This regime in four decades has proven to be unreliable, dubious, untrustworthy, and I don't think it is ever possible to come to any deal with it.” According to a report by Iran International on X, Iran's exiled prince, Reza Pahlavi, has made a bold declaration that reaching a reliable agreement with the Islamic Republic is impossible. This statement is rooted in the country's four-decade history of hostility with other nations and its oppressive regime. As the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi has been an outspoken critic of the Islamic Republic government. Pahlavi described the Islamic Republic as inherently hostile to principles such as equality, human rights, and freedom, emphasizing that it operates as an extremist ideological system. “It is an ideological radical regime tha

 Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah Spokesman Killed In Israeli Strike Mohammed Afif, the spokesperson for Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group was killed in an Israeli airstrike on central Beirut on Sunday, marking the first such strike in the area in over a month, an official from the group confirmed to The Associated Press. Earlier, Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip killed at least 12 people, according to Palestinian medical sources. Israeli warplanes target southern suburbs of Beirut The Hezbollah official, who requested anonymity, reported that Mohammed Afif was killed in the strike.  Afif had gained significant visibility following Israel’s military escalation in September, particularly after the death of long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in another Israeli airstrike. Israeli warplanes had also targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area known as Dahiyeh, where Hezbollah has a strong presence. This bombing followed a military warning for residents to evacuate multiple build

 Court Hearing For Kaduna Man Assaulted By Turkish Boss Scheduled For December 10th 2024 The court hearing between Mr. Emmanuel Thompson and his former boss, a Turkish national, has been scheduled for December 10th 2024. This was revealed to KADUNA POLITICAL AFFAIRS by Mr. Daniel Ejembi, the founder of Eagle Brain, a human rights organization championing Mr. Thompson's case. Mr. Thompson, a former employee of Motech Company, an affiliate of the NNPC in Kaduna, alleged that he was assaulted by his project manager, a Turkish national, after demanding his final salary following his dismissal. He claimed that during the confrontation, the manager strucked him with a helmet, causing an eye injury that impaired his vision.  Additionally, he alleged that other staff loyal to the Turkish boss joined in beating him severely. Despite his visible injuries, Mr. Thompson stated that the company refused to cover his medical expenses. Instead, he claimed the Turkish manager directed security pers

 YouTuber Kai Cenat's newly-acquired robot assistant breaks his TV Kai Cenat's $24,000 robot assistant crashed out and broke his TV after Kai said he didn't need him anymore.  Kai, a popular YouTuber, recently got the robot to assist him in his Los Angeles home and he has been sharing videos of it doing all sorts of things.  Kai even got the robot to brush his teeth for him.  However, while Kai was taking a shower, a video shared online shows the robot going towards the TV before crashing out and destroying it.  Kai immediately left the shower to inspect the damage and he seemed really disappointed.  This comes as humans express worry over robots and the damage they could cause to humans.  Watch video below. 

 Why British High Commission installed London phone booth at Lagos Airport  The British High Commission has installed a replica of the London phone booth at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) to mark the kick-off of its ‘JollofandTea’ campaign in Lagos. The commission’s Head of Communications, Ms Aseosa Uwagboe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the campaign was to support cultural and creative ties between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. She said the campaign included a physical activation of iconic British phone booths designed to showcase United Kingdom and Nigeria links across a variety of areas such as art, fashion, sports, education and transport. More phone booths to be launched in Lagos and Abuja  According to her, the rest of the phone booths will be launched in other popular locations in Lagos and Abuja. “We are so excited to be here today to launch the first phone booth for Jollof and Tea. This is our new campaign to support the link between the UK and

 3 Arrested For Throwing Flares At Netanyahu's Private Home Three suspects were arrested for throwing flares at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home, it was cleared for publication on Sunday morning. A gag order remains on their identities. Two flares were thrown at Netanyahu's private home in Caesarea on Saturday night, landing in the house's courtyard. The Prime Minister and his family were not home at the time. Netanyahu's private residence was attacked by a Hezbollah drone in October. Images published in Israeli media showed cracks in a bedroom window where the drone struck but failed to penetrate. The window was presumably made of reinforced glass and is believed to have other protections. Netanyahu and his family were not there at the time. The window was presumably made of reinforced glass and is believed to have other protections. Netanyahu and his family were not there at the time. Watch video below. 

 FG applauds Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago for intervening in federal road projects Nigerian Government has hailed the Niger State Governor, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago for carrying out intervention works on several Federal roads across the State. The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi gave the commendation during an interactive engagement in Abuja, between the Ministry, Niger State Government and Contractors handling various federal road projects across Niger State, where all ongoing Federal road projects in Niger State were reviewed with a view to addressing grey areas. Sen. Umahi who described the effort of the Farmer Governor as unprecedented, said he has also shown exemplary leadership by leading the State delegation to such a meeting. The Minister who called on other Governors to emulate the Farmer Governor, stressed that he will ensure effective and consistent projects supervision. He however, called for improved synergy between the federal legislators and the Ministry to ens

 Observers Praise Peaceful Conduct of Zamfara LG Election The Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission (ZASIEC) has announced a landslide victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which secured all 14 chairmanship and 147 councillorship seats in Saturday’s local government elections.   Election observers, led by Lazarus Nwachukwu, commended the peaceful, accessible, and fair conduct of the polls during a press briefing in Gusau on Sunday.   The election, which saw the participation of 18 political parties, was monitored by a team of 47 accredited NGOs and CSOs, divided across the state’s three senatorial districts.   “Our teams visited all 14 local government areas and observed that the elections were peaceful and credible, with voters turning out in large numbers to exercise their constitutional rights,” Nwachukwu noted.   He credited the success to ZASIEC’s early distribution of election materials and adherence to due process, adding that political party agents actively s

 Nigeria Spends N3 Trillion on Petrol Imports in 42 Days Despite Dangote Refinery Nigeria has reportedly spent a staggering N3 trillion on petrol imports within just 42 days, despite ongoing efforts to boost local refining through the Dangote Refinery. The high expenditure highlights the country’s continued reliance on fuel imports, raising questions about the capacity and utilization of local refining infrastructure.   The Dangote Refinery, which began limited operations earlier this year, was expected to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel. However, the scale of recent import costs suggests that local production is yet to meet domestic demand.   This development adds pressure on the government to address the inefficiencies in the downstream sector and prioritize refining capacity expansion to save costs and strengthen energy security.

 The World Bank has uncovered $32 million in unaccounted funds within a Nigerian water sector project, sparking concerns over potential embezzlement and mismanagement. According to the FY2024 Sanctions System Annual Report, the Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) identified these discrepancies through a forensic review. The missing funds, intended to improve water infrastructure, raised alarms, leading to interventions to protect the project’s integrity. In response, the World Bank collaborated with the project team, including Nigeria’s Task Team Leader, Operations Manager, and Financial Management Specialist, to address the issue.

 Enugu to Represent Nigeria at World Schools Debate Championship in Panama The Enugu State Debate Team has been selected to represent Nigeria at the prestigious World Schools Debate Championship (WSDC) in Panama. This recommendation comes from the President’s School Debate Nigeria (PSDN), the national body responsible for fostering debate excellence among students.   The WSDC, a global competition for secondary school students, brings together top debaters from around the world to engage in intellectual discourse on pressing global issues. Enugu’s team earned this opportunity following their exceptional performance at the national debate competition, showcasing their critical thinking, eloquence, and teamwork.   The event in Panama will provide the team with a platform to demonstrate Nigeria’s intellectual prowess on the international stage while promoting cultural exchange and learning.

 AFCON 2025: 19 Nations Secure Spots for Tournament in Morocco [Full List] Nineteen countries have officially qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco ahead of the final round of qualifiers scheduled for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.   Recent match-day fixtures saw Zambia, Mali, Zimbabwe, and Comoros join the list of teams set to compete in the prestigious tournament.   The final five spots will be determined after the conclusion of the match-day six qualifiers.   Here are the 19 qualified nations so far: - Morocco - Burkina Faso   - Cameroon   - Algeria   - DR Congo   - Senegal   - Egypt   - Angola   - Equatorial Guinea   - Côte d’Ivoire   - Uganda   - South Africa   - Gabon   - Tunisia   - Nigeria   - Zambia   - Mali   - Zimbabwe   - Comoros

 Zamfara Gov Swears in New LG Chairmen, Advocates Equity and Fairness Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has officially sworn in the newly elected local government chairmen, urging them to prioritize the welfare of their communities.   Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Governor Lawal emphasized the importance of equitable and fair distribution of resources and development projects across all local government areas. He reminded the chairmen of their responsibility to serve with integrity, accountability, and a focus on improving the lives of the people they represent.   The governor also called for collaboration between the local government leaders and state authorities to ensure the effective implementation of policies aimed at addressing the state’s pressing challenges, including security and infrastructure development.

 President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by the South American nation.   Tinubu’s participation follows an invitation from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who currently leads the G20.   The summit, scheduled for Monday, November 18, and Tuesday, November 19, will bring together leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies, along with representatives from the European Union, the African Union, and key multilateral financial institutions.

 Ondo Decides 2024: INEC declares Lucky Aiyedatiwa winner of election The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State. Aiyedatiwa was declared winner after polling the highest number of votes in the election. The incumbent governor battled Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olorunfemi Festus of the Labour Party, LP, and Abbas Mimiko of Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, among others, in Saturday’s poll Announcing the result in Akure, the state capital, INEC’s Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, Prof. Akinwumi Olayemi Durotimi, said Aiyedatiwa polled a total of 366781 while Ajayi got 117845 while LP had 1162. He said, ” Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of lawful votes cast, is hereby returned elected.” Aiyedatiwa who succeeded late

 Senegal votes for lawmakers in test for new president Polls opened in Senegal on Sunday for a parliamentary election that is set to determine if the country’s newly elected president can carry out ambitious reforms, AP reported. More than 7 million registered voters in the West African country are choosing 165 lawmakers in the national assembly, where the party of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye currently does not hold a majority. Faye, who was elected in March on an anti-establishment platform, says that has blocked him from executing the reforms he pledged during his campaign, including fighting corruption, reviewing fishing permits for foreign companies and securing a bigger share from the country’s natural resources for the population. In September, he dissolved the opposition-led parliament, paving the way for a snap legislative election. His party is facing the Takku Wallu opposition platform led by former President Macky Sall, alongside 39 other registered parties and coalition

  The Itanagar Capital Region Police in Arunachal Pradesh has taken a significant step towards supporting female personnel by introducing menstrual leave. Under a recent memorandum issued by SP (Capital) Rohit Rajbir Singh, female police officers can now take one day of special leave during the first or second day of their menstrual cycle. This progressive decision acknowledges the physical challenges many women face during menstruation and aims to create a more inclusive workplace. In contrast, Assam has yet to implement a similar policy for its women police officers, despite the physically demanding nature of their roles. Many female officers in Assam handle traffic control and frontline law enforcement duties, requiring them to work long hours outdoors in all weather conditions. The absence of menstrual leave has raised concerns about workplace equality and the overall well-being of women in the police force. Advocates for menstrual health emphasize that such policies can improve mo

 "I'm Honoured to be a recipient of the Honorary Doctorate degree from Pamo University of Medical Sciences at the 4th convocation ceremony of the institution. I commend PUMS for its pacesetting excellence in medical education. I salute Dr. Peter Odili for his vision. Congratulations to all graduands! Your journey to self-actualization and greatness begins now!- Gov. Fubara.  More photos below. 

 LASG CALLS FOR MORE WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS The Lagos State Government has called for more women's  participation in politics to give room for all-round development that will leave no stone unturned.  This call was made at a one-day Seminar for Women which was organised by the Women Development Centre (WDC), an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, on Thursday, at Agege. It is one of WDC's numerous training to help women become self-sufficient and skilful since 1999. The Director of the Centre, Mrs. Olufunke Adeleye Segun, in her keynote address to the invited female political leaders from five Local Government areas in Lagos West, emphasised the need for more women in politics, as this is the sure way to an inclusive governance that Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has always clamoured for.  She said her preference for having core female grassroots politicians in attendance will further drive home her point of having women

 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has achieved a landslide victory in the recent Zamfara State local government elections, winning all 14 chairmanship seats and every councillorship position. The Chairman of Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission (ZASIEC) Bala Aliyu announced the results on Sunday in Gusau, the state capital.  He descrived the elections as free, fair, and credible, highlighting the role of security agencies, election officials, and voters in ensuring the success.

 Edo Queens pulled off a stunning 2-1 comeback victory over defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies on Saturday, 16 November, to reach the CAF Women’s Champions League semi-finals. Sundowns took the lead with Melinda Kgadiete’s 24th-minute goal, but Edo Queens kept pushing.  In dramatic stoppage time, Emem Essien equalized, and then Mary Mamudu sealed the win with a late goal to eliminate the titleholders. This marks the first time Sundowns won't make the final in the competition’s history. Edo Queens, debutants in the tournament, will now face TP Mazembe in the semis.

 Super Typhoon Man-Yi battered the Philippines' Luzon island on Sunday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds of 185 kph (115 mph) to Metro Manila. Over a million people were evacuated, with the storm triggering floods and damaging buildings in several areas. After making landfall in Catanduanes province on Saturday night, it weakened slightly but continued to threaten coastal areas, with the storm surges a major concern for residents like Amalia Santisas, who evacuated with her children for safety. Man-Yi is the 6th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in just one month.

 President Bola Tinubu has received the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Nigeria on Saturday, marking the first visit by an Indian PM since 2007.  Tinubu and Modi are set to hold talks on strengthening ties between India and Nigeria, building on the strategic partnership established 17 years ago.

 The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to stop using the NBC Act and Broadcasting Code to impose fines, sanctions, or intimidate independent media houses in the country. The court ruled that NBC lacks the legal authority to penalise media houses for promoting diverse information on public issues.  The judgement, delivered in June by Justice Nicholas Oweibo, followed a lawsuit by SERAP and CJID.  The suit followed the decision by the NBC in 2022 to impose a fine of N5 million each on Trust TV, Multichoice Nigeria Limited, NTA-Startimes Limited and TelcCom Satellite Limited, over their documentaries on terrorism in the country. judgement

 Customs Operation Whirlwind Intercepts 76,000 Litres of PMS Worth N84.8 Million The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) tactical team, Operation Whirlwind, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), intercepted 76,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) valued at N84.8 million in September 2024. In a press statement signed on Monday, 11 November, 2024, by the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Command, Assistant Superintendent of Customs Chado Zakari, on behalf of the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller Hussaini Ejibunu, described the operation as a decisive measure to curb the smuggling of PMS out of Nigeria. Ejibunu noted that these actions have saved the country significant resources and bolstered national security by reducing PMS smuggling through Kwara's land borders. Ejibunu explained that, with support from enforcement officers and the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) covering the Niger/Kwara axis, operatives intercepted 38 and 61 k