Good morning! In today’s trending news stories; 1. After a 4-hour meeting between the federal government and Labour leaders on Sunday, October 1, President Bola Tinubu approved a N35,000 provisional wage increment for workers of all levels which will last for six months. According to Dada Olusegun, the president’s special assistant on social media, “The Federal Government will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023.” 2. Meanwhile, Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate, in a trending video passively challenged President Bol Tinubu’s resolve to hinder access to his academic records…
Author: Esther Salami
Happy Independence Day! In today’s trending news stories; 1. President Bola Tinubu in the broadcast on the 63rd Independence Day speech, announced a new development. According to him, “Based on [the government’s] talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, [they] are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional N25,000 per month.” He noted that his administration was doing all to reduce the effect caused by the fuel subsidy on Nigerians. 2. Judge Nancy Maldonado has ruled in favour of…
Good morning! In today’s trending news stories; 1. The organized labour union constituting NLC and TUC shunned the meeting set up by the Federal Government on Friday. The meeting had been scheduled to hold by 3 p.m. at the office of the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. However, the organized labour refused to turn up. The event follows their declaration to embark on an indefinite strike from Tuesday, 3rd October, 2023. 2. The court has nullified the election of Okey Mbah, PDP Enugu House of Assembly candidate representing Nkanu east constituency. According to the judgement, on Friday, the election was…
The global streaming platform Spotify has revealed that Nigeria is the second-highest consumer of podcasts in Africa after South Africa. Spotify’s Podcast Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Ncebakazi Manzi, made the announcement in celebration of International Podcast Day. According to Manzi, the rise of podcast consumption in Nigeria has seen exponential growth over the past couple of years, increasing by 222% between 2021 and 2022. Spotify’s data revealed that Nigerians aged between 18 – 24 years constituted a large segment of podcast listeners, accounting for 50% of the total streams, for the last 90 days. While those between the ages of…
Funke Akindele’s, SHE Must Be Obeyed, debuts today exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. The movie’s premiere was held on Wednesday night at the IMAX Cinema, in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State. It was produced and directed by Funke Akindele and her ex-husband, JJC Skillz, under SceneOne Production. The series stars top-rated actors including Funke Akindele, Lateef Adedimeji, Nancy Isime, Akah Anani, Patience Ozokwo, Mike Ezuronye, and Rachael Okonkwo, amongst others. Nigerian Afropop singer, Waje and former BBNaija star Vee joined the ensemble. https://youtu.be/p9EiQQ912TQ SHE Must Be Obeyed follows the life of three successful music stars who are rivals. The three…
Good morning! In today’s trending news stories; 1. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has filed 10 grounds of Appeal before the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) which granted victory to Tinubu as president of Nigeria. The party called for the annulment of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president on grounds of the numerous errors of law surrounding his election as president. The notice of appeal was filed by its new counsel Chukwuma Machukwu Ume. The appeal read, “Sections 131 and 142 (1) of the 1999 Constitution is inextricably linked and neither can be confined…
World Tourism Day 2023 In regards to World Tourism Day 2023 whose theme emphasizes Tourism and Green Investments, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “[It] has never been more important for our economies or for our societies. Its potential is enormous. And so on this World Tourism Day, we celebrate tourism’s ability to drive growth while also highlighting the vital need for investments to ensure such growth is inclusive and sustainable.” The UNWTO celebration is set to be held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, 27 September, 2023. The day will focus on the importance of: Investing in People…
Zoleka Mandela, granddaughter of South Africa’s first democratically elected Black President Nelson Mandela, has died of cancer at the age of just 43. She passed away on Monday evening surrounded by friends and family, a spokesperson said. Ms. Mandela, who was the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela’s second wife, Winnie, documented her story in her autobiography When Hope Whispers. Over the years, Ms. Mandela faced varying challenges, with her grandfather away, she had a tough childhood, facing sexual abuse as a child. She eventually experienced depression and drug addiction. In 2010, her 13-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident. She…
Good morning! In today’s trending news stories: 1. The federal government announced Wednesday as a public holiday for the celebration of the Eid-el-Maulid. The Minister of the Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced that the holiday was to honor the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. He urged the Muslims across the country to emulate the deeds of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, abiding in peace with their neighbors. 2. Awele Elumelu, wife of billionaire businessman Tony Elumelu has seen a surge in the market value of her shares in Transnational Corporation plc (Transcorp). As of Monday, September 26, 2023, the Nigerian Exchange…
Jenifa series star Juliana Olayode also known as Toyo Baby has opened up about her struggles with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). According to her, she bled for four months non-stop. During this time, she also battled with Psoriasis which affected her skin. Eventually, she decided to stop medications and took control of her health by combining prayer, faith, and lifestyle changes. She noted that the majority of health challenges we face as women emanate from the things we consume and the lifestyle we live. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxi9vteMEXD/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2671103d-01c9-4b2a-9cc3-426bd9a7f511 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects a woman’s hormone levels. The condition…
Netflix has released the first teaser trailer and launch date of Squid Game: The Challenge, the reality TV show version of the hit K-drama that dazzled the world in 2021. The reality show will run 10 episodes and will premiere on 22 November 2023. The prize stake of the show is set at USD 4.56 million, for which 456 contestants from across the world will compete in a series of games inspired by Squid Game — the most-watched Netflix series of all time. The cash prize will be the largest ever in reality television history. According to Netflix, though the Squid Game…
Good morning! In the today’s trending news stories: 1. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally broken his silence on the abduction of the 40+ female students at Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State. The directive was disclosed via a statement released by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, on Sunday, September 24. The President pledged that the Federal Government will ensure educational institutions remain sanctuaries of knowledge, growth, and opportunity –totally free from the menacing acts of terrorists. He called on security agencies to find and free the abducted girls. 2. Former Senate President David Mark has urged the 10th National…
Good morning! In today’s trending news on The News Chronicle: 1. Manchester United ends their run of three consecutive defeats in all competitions, making their first win in the Premier League since August 26 thanks to a skillful intervention by Bruno Fernandes at Turf Moor. The win sent Burnley to the bottom of the table. Burnley now face three away games in eight days, starting at Salford City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, to Newcastle United on Saturday, and fellow newcomers Luton Town on October 3. The win puts Man-U to eighth ahead of two games in a week.…
Good morning! In today’s trending news on The News Chronicle: 1. The LGBTQ community trends on the internet as President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey expressed his unease at what he thought were the LGBTQ colours being used at the United Nations this week. “One of the issues that bothers me the most … is that when entering the United Nations General Assembly, you see the LGBT colors on steps and other places,” he said. However, a few UN diplomats explained that Erdogan may have mistaken the 17 distinct colours of the Sustainable Development Goals, which adorned parts of the UN…
Taylor Grasso, a registered dietician with over 92,000 followers on TikTok, explained why exercising more and eating less is still not helping you lose weight. Grasso explained that a woman’s 28-day cycle is her menstrual cycle, which starts on the first day of her period. ‘You go through menstruation and then you enter into your follicular phase. This is like the peak of our month,’ she said. ‘We then ovulate and then go to luteal, which is right when you’re PMSing, right before your menstrual cycle, and then it starts all over again.’ She noted that when women aim to…
Oprah Winfrey opened up about obesity and her withdrawal from using Ozempic during her own weight loss journey in front of a live audience in New York City as part of her The Life You Want series. She was joined by obesity specialists Fatima Cody Stanford and Melanie Jay, CEO of Weight Watchers Sima Sistani, and psychologist Rachel Goldman. During the discussion, the experts pointed out that obesity was a metabolic disease with some bodies that are ‘more predisposed to storing more fat’ – also known as adipose tissue. Oprah added, ‘For those of us that are adipose storers, no matter how many times……
Game of Thrones authors George RR Martin and John Grisham are suing ChatGPT-owner OpenAI over claims that their works were infringed to train the system. The case was brought to the federal court in Manhattan, New York, by the Authors Guild, a trade group in the US. The lawsuit claims the authors’ books were used without their permission to make ChatGPT smarter. According to the filing, it accused OpenAI of engaging in “systematic theft on a mass scale”- similar to the legal action brought by comedian Sarah Silverman in July. Similarly, an open letter signed by authors Margaret Atwood and…
Good morning! On today’s trending news stories in the The News Chronicle: 1. Leo Messi speaks on the next World Cup. “I want to arrive [at] the next Copa America in good condition then I will see depending on how I am,” he said. In Inter Milan’s game against Toronto FC on Wednesday night, the game had barely reached halftime when Messi called for a substitution. Gaston Edul and Vero Brunati confirmed that Messi has been dealing with a right hamstring strain which kept him out of games against Ecuador with the national team and against Atlanta United last Saturday. Let’s…
Good morning! In today’s trending news on The News Chronicle: 1.All hell threatens to break loose as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, in a special broadcast, urges Kano residents to remain calm. He vows to challenge the Judgement of the Governorship Election Tribunal at the Court of Appeal. The broadcast comes after yesterday’s declaration of APC governorship candidte, Nasiru Gawuna as the new Kano state governor. According to the tribunal, the ballot papers were not stamped or signed therefore they were invalid, reducing the number of votes of the NNPP candidate by 165,663. 2.The wife of the President and First Lady…
Iran’s parliament has passed a controversial bill increasing prison terms and fines for women and girls who break its strict dress code. The bill which is yet to be approved by the Guardian Council to become law, says that those dressed “inappropriately” will face up to 10 years in jail and a three-year “trial.” The bill comes a year after protests erupted over the death of Mahsa Amini, who was held by morality police for an allegedly improper hijab. Women burnt their headscarves or waved them in the air at the nationwide demonstrations, which led to the killings of hundreds…
The Tony Elumelu Foundation, UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited, and IKEA Foundation are set to launch a Green Entrepreneurship Programme. The program will empower African youths and tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource scarcity. Participants will be empowered through a series of workshops, mentorship programs, and funding opportunities. The green businesses created will address pressing environmental issues. The founders of BeGreen Africa plan to use their combined knowledge, strong government and private sector ties, youth networks, and extensive presence in Africa, especially in Kenya, to create a curriculum that helps young people with green-focused skills and…
The United States, the largest provider of humanitarian assistance worldwide, through USAID, has announced more than $247 million in additional funding for urgent humanitarian assistance to help people across Africa. The funding will increase the total amount provided by USAID for humanitarian assistance in Africa this fiscal year to more than $4.7 billion, addressing the urgent needs of vulnerable people affected by conflict and crisis on the continent. The funding will cover food supplies, emergency health care, safe drinking water and sanitation, and protection for vulnerable people, including children, survivors of gender-based violence, and people with disabilities. Countries considered include;…
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky released a couple of family photos with their newborn son, Riot Rose, and 16-month-old big brother RZA. Just six weeks old, Baby Riot graced the world with his presence on August 1. He was born in the early hour of 7:41 a.m. The whole family is represented in a series of shots, with solo shots of the cute baby Riot, and RZA. Growing their family was always the hope for the couple, who have been together for nearly three years. “Listen, I’m down for whatever,” she told British Vogue in an interview published in February. “My…
Good morning! Here are today’s trending topics from The News Chronicle: 1. Hundreds of young people, stormed Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, just yesterday to hold a peaceful protest in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. Their intent was clear; justice for Mohbad! Just one week ago on Tuesday, 12th September 2023, the Nigerian rapper, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, lost his life at only 27 years old. Since then, there has been a wide controversy and commotion over the cause of his death. Many believe the cause of his death is tied to his involvement with Naira Marley who…
A Picasso masterpiece entitled “Femme à la montre” is set to realize more than $120 million at auction this fall. The 1932 oil painting will take center stage at a two-day event at Sotheby’s in New York in November when the collection of Emily Fisher Landau goes on sale. The piece measures 51¼ x 38 inches (130 x 96.5 centimeters) and depicts Picasso’s lover and “golden muse” Marie-Thérèse Walter. Picasso first met Walter in Paris in 1927 when she was 17 years old and he was still married to his first wife, Olga Khokhlova, a Russian-Ukrainian ballet dancer. Walter eventually became the inspiration…
In today’s trending reports on The News Chronicle; The UEFA Champions League season commences, with UEFA.com predicting the first matchday line-ups. Popular star Davido also makes the trend as he pays his respect to the late rapper Mohbad by declaring his return to Nigeria for Mohbad’s candlelight service which is to be held on Thursday 21st September 2023 by 5 pm. He posted; “Mohbad your spirit is strong ooo. Sleep come hard me”. The candlelight procession will begin at Lekki Phase 1 Gate and end at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the Tribute Concert will be held at…
UK has increased student and visitor visas to N476,667 (£490) and N111,878 (£127) respectively. The increase would enable it to pay for “vital services and allow more funding to be prioritized for public sector pay rises”. The fee for a visitor’s visa to the UK for less than six months will now cost £115 (about N111,878.28) as opposed to £15 (14,592.70) effective from October 4, 2023, translating to about a 667% increment. The UK government made this known in a statement: ‘New visa fees set to come into effect next month,’ published on its website. The UK also increased the…
Chioma Nnadi has been set to take over as head of British Vogue. The London-born journalist and editor of Vogue’s US website has become the first Black female head of the fashion title, “head of editorial content.” The announcement followed a weekend of fashion shows, dubbed by attendees as “Anna Wintour’s flex”. The shows had been partly overshadowed by Vogue World, “Is there pressure? Yeah, there’s definitely pressure – it’s Vogue,” Nnadi said while speaking from her home in New York. “It still means something to be in Vogue, it still has authority. [And there’s pressure] because of Edward. He…
The Wedding Party star, Adesua Etomi-Wellington revealed that she “friend-zoned” her husband, singer Bankole Wellington, aka Banky W, for a year and a half before finally accepting his marriage proposal. The thespian spoke during service at the Waterbrooks Church, Lagos, on Sunday. She said one of the reasons she “friend-zoned” him was because she had not heard from God at that time. “I would like to say that friendship plays a very big role in laying the foundation of your relationship. I friend-zoned my husband for a year and a half,” she said. “I friend-zoned him for two reasons. One,…
Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel marked a historic moment for the world of pageantry by eliminating age restrictions. She made the announcement during New York Fashion Week 2024. Age is not a barrier to a woman’s ability to compete and achieve greatness,” says R’Bonney Gabriel, as she announced eliminating its upper age limit, which had previously been set at 28. She highlighted significant changes within the Miss Universe Organisation. The rule change represents a commitment to diversity and sets a new benchmark for pageants around the world in 2024. However, contestants must be at least 18 years old in order…
