The most striking and relevant breaking news in Nigeria and the world, weekly. By Oyemaja Feeds, a division of The Oyemaja Group
1. Claudine Gay Resigns as Havard President (6th January 2024): Claudine Gay has stepped down from her role as Harvard University's president following a tenure marked by controversy and doubt. Various factors contributed to her departure from the esteemed Ivy League institution. During her tenure, Gay encountered challenges including a contentious congressional hearing on antisemitism in higher education, accusations of plagiarism, and opposition from conservative groups aiming to dismantle what they perceive as excessive bureaucracy in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Although she has resigned from the presidency, Gay will continue her association with Harvard University as a professor.
2. Explosion rocks Ibadan, Nigeria. (16th January 2024): Six houses were reported to have been destroyed by the explosion that occurred on Dejo Oyeleye Street at Adeyi Avenue. A loud bang was heard, and vibrations were felt across several locations in Ibadan at about 7:45 p.m. The cause of the explosion was unknown at the time of reporting. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the explosion originated from a gas plant around the UI-Bodija axis of the city. Some affected individuals shared pictures and videos showing broken window glasses from their apartments. Men of the anti-bomb squad of the Nigeria police, firefighters, and operatives of the Amotekun security outfit were reported to have arrived at the scene of the explosion.
3. WWE's Vince McMahon Resigns After Being Accused of Sex Trafficking, Assault In Lawsuit (26th January 2024): Vince McMahon resigned as executive chairman and board member of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, following allegations of sex trafficking and misconduct. The resignation came after former employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against McMahon, WWE, and former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis. Court documents allege McMahon coerced Grant into a sexual relationship in exchange for promised employment, involving sharing private material and pressuring her into relations with other WWE staffers.
4. Indian Model Poonam Pandey Fakes Death in Cervical Cancer Publicity Stunt to Raise Awareness of Disease (31 January 2024): An Indian model who staged her death in a publicity stunt to raise awareness about cervical cancer defended her actions in a social media post, stating she was proud of the impact her "death news" had achieved. Poonam Pandey, a 32-year-old reality TV star and former Bollywood actor, allegedly died on Friday, as announced to her 1.3 million followers on Instagram. The statement, purportedly from her management team, informed followers of her passing due to cervical cancer, expressing deep sadness at the loss.
5. Imran Khan, Pakistan's Former PM, Sentenced To 14 Years in Prison for Corruption (31 January 2024): Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in jail in a corruption case, following a 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets. His wife, Bushra Bibi, received the same sentence in the Toshakhana case for illegally selling state gifts. The judge also imposed a 10-year ban on them both from holding political office. The sentence was handed down during a hearing at Rawalpindi prison, where Khan, 71, has been held since August, compounding his legal woes as he faces over 100 charges.
6. Universal Music Group pulls music from TikTok over licensing disputes (1st February 2024): Universal pulled its music from TikTok due to failed licensing agreement negotiations. This decision silenced TikTok videos featuring Universal artists and removed their songs from the platform's library. The dispute stemmed from Universal's accusations of TikTok's underpayment to artists and tolerance of AI-generated content, which UMG saw as detrimental to musicians' interests.
7. King Charles has Been Diagnosed with A Form of Cancer, Says Buckingham Palace. (6th February 2024): Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles has been diagnosed with a form of cancer, discovered during recent treatment for an enlarged prostate. The specific type of cancer has not been disclosed, ruling out prostate cancer. The King commenced "regular treatments" on Monday and will postpone public duties during this period. Despite the diagnosis, the 75-year-old monarch "remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible." No further details regarding the stage of cancer or prognosis are being disclosed.
8. North Korea Has Reopened to Tourists (9th February 2024): North Korea reopened its doors to tourists for the first time in four years, welcoming a Russian group for a four-day trip. These tourists are the first to visit since the pandemic began, as North Korea imposed strict border controls in early 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, remaining closed to foreign visitors since then. The itinerary includes stops at Pyongyang and the Masikryong ski resort, according to a Telegram post by the government of Primorsky Krai, a Russian region bordering North Korea.
9. The President of Hungary, Katalin Novak Has Resigned (10 February 2024): Hungary’s conservative president resigned amid public outcry over a pardon she had granted to a man convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case, a decision that had unleashed an unprecedented political scandal for the long-serving nationalist government. Katalin Novák, 46, announced in a televised message that she would step down from the presidency, an office she had held since 2022. Her decision came after more than a week of public outrage after it was revealed that she had issued a presidential pardon in April 2023 to a man convicted of hiding a string of child sexual abuses in a state-run children’s home.
10. Ghastly Helicopter Crash Claims the Lives of CEO Access Holdings, Wife and Others (10th February 2024): A helicopter transporting Herbert Wigwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, crashed in California, USA, killing him and about five others. Sources revealed that the chopper was en route to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California on Friday night. The incident marked California's second fatal helicopter crash in less than a week. Officials stated that the helicopter went down near Nipton on the edge of the Mojave Desert late on Friday evening.
11. Ivory Coast wins the 2024 AFCON finals. (11th February 2024): Ivory Coast's triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations was characterized by seizing second chances, as highlighted by winning coach Emerse Fae. Despite facing early elimination prospects, the host nation staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming deficits in three out of four knockout matches. Fae, initially an assistant, assumed coaching duties after the dismissal of head coach Jean-Louis Gasset. Their journey culminated in a 2-1 victory in the final, evoking relief and a sense of accomplishment for the team.
12. Greece Becomes the First Orthodox Christian Country to Legalise Same-Sex Marriage (16th February 2024): Greece became the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage, despite opposition from the church and some politicians. The measure passed parliament with 176 lawmakers voting in favour, 76 against, two abstaining, and 46 not present. The bill required a simple majority to pass in the 300-member parliament. Following two days of debate and weeks of public reactions, the vote legally allows same-sex couples to adopt children as well. Supporters celebrated in Athens, while opponents, many aligned with the Orthodox Church, protested, displaying banners, holding crosses, reading prayers, and singing passages from the Bible.
13. Lion kills Zookeeper at OAU (19th February 2024): A zookeeper at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Nigeria lost his life in a fatal encounter with one of the lions under his care. Olabode Olawuyi, who had worked at the university zoo for nearly a decade, was attacked during a routine feeding session. Despite his colleagues' efforts to intervene, Olawuyi sustained fatal injuries from the lion, and they were unable to save him from the vicious attack.
14. The Universal Music Group acquires a major stake in Mavin Global. (26th February 2024): Universal Music Group (UMG), renowned as the global leader in music-based entertainment, has revealed a majority investment in Mavin Global (Mavin), an esteemed independent record label. The statement, subject to regulatory approval and anticipated to be finalized by the end of Q3 2024, highlighted the strategic collaboration. Under the agreement, Don Jazzy, Founder and CEO of Mavin Global, along with Tega Oghenejobo, Chief Operating Officer (COO), will continue to lead the company. This setup enables UMG to collaborate with experienced local executives and seasoned A&R specialists, fostering further growth and innovation within the music industry.
15. Iwaju, Nigeria's First of Its Kind Animated Series Premieres on Disney Plus (28th February 2024): After nearly five years of tireless work, the animation team at Kugali Media finally saw its comic book series “Iwájú” come to life in a big way – and now audiences around the world could join in. The animated series, a coming-of-age story set in futuristic Lagos, Nigeria, was picked up by Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2020, which called it a “first-of-its-kind collaboration” with the pan-African entertainment company. All six episodes were available to stream on Disney+.
16. France Becomes World’s First Country to Enshrine Abortion in Constitution (4th March 2024): French lawmakers approved a bill to enshrine the right to abortion in the Constitution of France in a joint session of Parliament at the Palace of Versailles. The bill passed with an overwhelming 780-72 vote on Monday, followed by nearly the entire joint session standing in a long-standing ovation.
17. Oppenheimer Dominates 96th Oscars, Scoops Seven Awards, Including Best Picture and Best Actor (11th March 2024): Oppenheimer dominated the 96th Oscars, winning seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy. The period blockbuster, with 13 nominations, made a lasting impact by securing seven statuettes. Christopher Nolan, the director, was honored with the Best Director award, and Cillian Murphy’s performance earned him Best Actor. Robert Downey Jr. was recognized as Best Supporting Actor, and the film also won awards for Editing, Cinematography, and Score.
18. Italy Slaps A $11 Million Fine on TikTok for Failing to Keep The Platform Safe For Minors Over ‘French Scar’ Challenge. (14th March 2024): Italy's competition authority fined TikTok €10 million ($11 million) for failing to control the spread of content endangering the safety of minors and vulnerable individuals. The antitrust agency, AGCM, stated Thursday that TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, neglected to consider the unique vulnerabilities of adolescent users, such as susceptibility to imitating group behaviours.
19. Internet Disruption hits West and Central Africa (14th March 2024): Much of West and Central Africa was left without internet service as operators of several subsea cables reported failures. The cause of the cable failures on Thursday was not immediately clear. The African subsea cable operator Seacom confirmed that services on its West African cable system were down and that customers who relied on that cable were being redirected to the Google Equiano cable, which Seacom used.
20. Idris Elba Reveals ‘Dream’ Of Building Eco City on Island Off Sierra Leone (18th March 2024): Idris Elba shared details of his “dream” to turn an island off the coast of Sierra Leone into an environmentally friendly smart city. Working with his childhood friend, they developed Sherbro, roughly the size of the Isle of Man, after gaining autonomy from the Sierra Leonean government. Originally aimed at tourism, the project shifted towards building an eco-city in a public-private partnership. They secured agreements with major firms to develop sustainable infrastructure, including Sierra Leone’s first wind farm. Elba emphasized the importance of respecting local culture while creating a culturally diverse international city.
21. UK To Introduce Bill to Phase Out Smoking Among Young People (20th March 2024): The Tobacco and Vapes Bill meant that anyone turning 15 in that year or younger would never legally be sold cigarettes. The government clarified that smoking itself would not be criminalized, so those currently able to buy tobacco legally would not be prevented from doing so in the future. If the bill passed, it would give the UK some of the world's toughest anti-tobacco laws, effectively raising the legal age for purchasing cigarettes by one year annually, to prevent young people from starting the habit. The legislation had been published and formally introduced in Parliament. A date for MPs to begin debating it was yet to be announced.
22. The world’s biggest energy plant, 5 times the size of Paris set to be built in New Delhi, India (21st March 2024): Adani Green Energy is constructing a massive 30 gigawatt (GW) renewable energy plant across an expansive 538 square kilometers (sq km) of desolate land in Khavda, Gujarat. This area is equivalent to five times the size of Paris. The project is slated for completion within the next five years.
23. Gambia Moves to Reverse Ban on Female Genital Mutilation (25th March 2024): In 2015, Gambia passed a law banning the practice. However, the parliament is now moving to overturn the ban, arguing it's necessary to "uphold religious loyalty and safeguard cultural norms and values." The decision will undergo review by a parliamentary committee before a final vote. Out of the forty-seven predominantly male members of the Gambia National Assembly present for voting, forty-two voted to overturn the ban, with one abstaining. Widely viewed as a human rights violation, the practice often inflicts severe adverse health effects on victims. Activists fear it could signal a further rollback of women’s rights.
24. Baltimore Key Bridge Collapses After Ship Collision (26th March 2024): A major Baltimore bridge collapsed early after being hit by a large container ship. Six people were missing, with two rescued and one in serious condition. The search and rescue effort transitioned to a search and recovery mission, with divers returning to the site at 6 a.m. The construction company, Brawner Builders, presumed six workers dead, with one survivor. Names were not immediately released.
25. Germany legalizes Recreational Cannabis use. (31st March 2024): In Germany, crowds assembled overnight to mark the legalization of cannabis, effective from Monday. Festivities took place at the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, featuring music, dancing, and enthusiastic displays. Attendees waved placards and exhaled clouds of smoke into the air. Notably, one individual rode through the crowd with a large artwork of a cannabis leaf on a trailer attached to their bike, while another symbolically rolled a joint in front of television cameras.
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