Bizzle Osikoya, Co-Founder The Plug Global, has cried out:
All of you UK, US & Canada people initiating dispute . is it really fair? If you don't have money to spend for Detty December, don't come, it's not by force.
My Business has received over 10 in last one week. I can see your real names too.
I just don't want to embarrass anyone. But it's really unfair . This last one is really paining me $690 to ₦ is a lot on my business.
This video of a leatherback turtle caught most likely in one of the Ìlàjẹ́ communities is going round. I know there's poverty and hardship in the land but we need to protect our wildlife.
If these leatherback turtles go extinct, these same people will feel it most. You know why? Majority of them are fishermen. Leatherback turtles feed mostly on jellyfish. So, they control their population. If jellyfish population is left uncontrolled, their population will explode and they will compete with fishes for their food on a large scale. When fishes have no food, their population decreases.
All our actions/inactions have impacts and consequences on nature. Guess what? We're part of nature.
Tainkyu ✌🏾
This video of a leatherback turtle caught most likely in one of the Ìlàjẹ́ communities is going round. I know there's poverty and hardship in the land but we need to protect our wildlife.
If these leatherback turtles go extinct, these same people will feel it most. You know… pic.twitter.com/pJhtBzhRg5
WASHINGTON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - A SpaceX Starship rocket broke up in space minutes after launching from Texas on Thursday, forcing airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling debris and setting back Elon Musk's flagship rocket program.
SpaceX mission control lost contact with the newly upgraded Starship, carrying its first test payload of mock satellites but no crew, eight minutes after liftoff from its South Texas rocket facilities at 5:38 p.m. EST (2238 GMT).
Video shot by Reuters showed orange balls of light streaking across the sky over the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, leaving trails of smoke behind.
"We did lose all communications with the ship - that is essentially telling us we had an anomaly with the upper stage," SpaceX Communications Manager Dan Huot said, confirming minutes later that the ship was lost.
The last time a Starship upper stage failed was in March last year, as it was reentering Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean, but rarely has a SpaceX mishap caused widespread disruptions to air traffic.
Dozens of commercial flights diverted to other airports or altered course to avoid potential debris, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24. Departures from airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, were also delayed by about 45 minutes, it added.
The Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates private launch activities, said it had briefly slowed and diverted planes around the area where space debris was falling, but normal operations had since resumed.
The FAA regularly closes airspace for space launches and reentries, but it can create a "debris response area" to prevent aircraft from entering if the space vehicle experiences an anomaly outside the originally closed zone.
SpaceX CEO Musk posted a video on X showing the debris field and said: "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!"
The failure came a day after Blue Origin, billionaire Amazon (AMZN.O), opens new tab founder Jeff Bezos' space company, successfully launched its giant New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), the global cloud leader powering many Nigerian startups and commercial banks, will now accept payments in Naira, alongside seven other local currencies for European customers. Since many Nigerian companies host their services in AWS’s European region due to geographical proximity, this move could significantly lower their cloud costs.
This move comes at a crucial time when homegrown cloud providers have been gaining ground by offering local pricing as an alternative to AWS and Azure.
In a statement on Monday, AWS explained that this shift will help customers avoid foreign exchange costs and payment friction. “With payments in their local currencies, customers can avoid foreign exchange costs associated with making foreign currency payments,” the company said. “This also removes payment friction for customers in countries where local regulations put limits on the foreign currency amount a customer can access.”
This shift is significant for Nigerian businesses, as the naira’s devaluation and macroeconomic pressures have caused cloud costs—often priced in US dollars—to more than double since 2023. By allowing payments in naira, AWS is offering Nigerian companies a smoother and more affordable option for cloud services, addressing one of the key pain points that have driven Nigerian businesses toward local cloud providers.
AWS’ move will shift the competitive landscape in Nigeria’s cloud services market. Homegrown cloud providers such as Nobus, Layer3, and Okra’s recently launched Nebula have spent much of 2024 positioning themselves as affordable, local alternatives to AWS and Microsoft’s Azure.
Many of these local players emphasized their competitive edge at a time when FX liquidity and volatility meant USD-denominated pricing could push costs up 2-3x in a week.
Some even held talks with government agencies at the state and federal level, positioning themselves as potential partners to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on USD-denominated services. The messaging was clear: patronizing local cloud providers is not just a cost-effective option but a way to support Nigeria’s economic resilience.
AWS’s decision to accept naira payments comes in response to the growing appeal of local cloud providers in Nigeria. In January 2023, AWS launched its AWS Local Zones facility in Lagos to reduce latency and improve performance for Nigerian businesses—often an important factor since many Nigerian companies host their services in AWS’s European region due to geographical proximity. By offering a new payment option alongside this infrastructure, AWS can solidify its foothold in the Nigerian market, especially as local providers continue to present an attractive, economically aligned alternative.
By lowering the barrier for Nigerian companies to pay for cloud services in their local currency, AWS has given itself an edge, but the growing local alternatives may still present a challenge. It’s not just about price anymore—it’s about local relevance and helping businesses navigate the complexities of Nigeria’s economic environment.
Ogunlesi brings global expertise in infrastructure, finance, and strategy to advance our mission toward AGI.
We’re pleased to announce Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi has joined our Board of Directors. As Founding Partner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), one of the world’s premier infrastructure investing platforms, and a Senior Managing Director at BlackRock, Mr. Ogunlesi brings deep leadership experience and expertise across corporate finance, infrastructure investment and global market strategy.
This appointment further complements the Board’s depth across technical, AI safety, cybersecurity, regulatory, economic, nonprofit and governance domains, strengthening its ability to oversee the company's progress toward AGI.
Mr. Ogunlesi’s counsel will be invaluable as we navigate the global transformation of AI infrastructure, drive innovation, and foster economic growth.
“Bayo has an exceptional track record of driving success in organizations with global reach, expertly navigating complex and dynamic commercial landscapes. We’re honored to welcome him to the Board,” said Bret Taylor, Chair of OpenAI’s Board.
“The rapid advancement and development of AI offers a unique opportunity to build a better future. As part of this, thoughtful strategies and investment in infrastructure will be key to unlocking AI’s full potential and delivering its benefits responsibly. I’m excited to contribute to this effort and look forward to being a part of the OpenAI Board,” said Bayo Ogunlesi.
Adebayo Ogunlesi is a globally recognized businessman and investor. Prior to the formation of GIP in 2006, Mr. Ogunlesi spent 23 years at Credit Suisse where he held several senior positions, including Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Client Officer of its Investment Banking Division. From 2002 to 2004, he was Head of the Global Investment Banking Division and a Member of the Executive Board and Management Committee.
Previously, Mr. Ogunlesi was an attorney with the New York law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore. He also served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Thurgood Marshall, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been a Lecturer at the Harvard and Yale Law Schools and the Yale School of Management where he taught courses on transnational investment projects.
Mr. Ogunlesi holds a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of BlackRock, Topgolf Callaway Brands, Kosmos Energy Holdings and Terminal Investment Limited. He was previously the Lead Director of Goldman Sachs Group. He is a Member of the Dean’s Advisory Boards of the Harvard Law and Business Schools and the Harvard University Global Advisory Council.
EFCC Arrests 105 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Abuja
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, acting on intelligence on emerging internet crimes involving foreigners, on Thursday, January 9, 2025 broke another syndicate of fraudsters specializing in hotel review job scam, targeting mostly United Kingdom victims.
They arrested 105 suspects comprising four Chinese and 101 Nigerians at Naka Hall Plaza in Abutu Garba Street, Gudu, Abuja. 100 compact Work Stations were recovered from the suspects.
How the Fraud Works
Hotel Review Job Scam is a globally-entrenched internet-related fraud that is newly appearing on the Nigerian space.
The modus-operandi involves Chinese who usually recruit local and computer-savvy Nigerians as Customer Service Representatives.
The Representatives are made to work on a prepared template of criminality online. They are given identities and names usually foreign, through which they chat with expatriates. The crime involves making false representation to victims to win their trust to engage in hotel ratings with promises of $5 for every hotel that is reviewed. As the victims get paid, they are encouraged to review more hotels and the payment is increased to $10 per rating. After a long while, the victim is encouraged to make bookings in any of the rated hotels for as much as $500 and that the company would pay back with chunky interest into a crypto wallet bearing their names. After making bookings, the victim would not be able to open the wallet and his or her money is lost.
The fraud is an intricate mechanism of defrauding foreigners and it is targeted at victims in Europe and other parts of the world.
We are working with other law enforcement agencies across the world to dig deeper into the global dimensions involved in this crime.
Abuja Arrest, a further intelligence connected to the Lagos 792 Fraudsters
The EFCC achieved this latest breakthrough barely a month after 792 suspected investment and internet fraudsters were arrested by operatives of the Commission on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. They were arrested at an edifice known as Big Leaf Building at No 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. This is almost concluded and the suspects will be charged to court in the coming days.
An eight-year-old boy has been found alive after surviving five days in a game park inhabited by lions and elephants in northern Zimbabwe, according to a member of parliament.
The ordeal began when Tinotenda Pudu wandered 23 km (14 miles) from home into the "perilous" Matusadona Game Park, said Mashonaland West MP Mutsa Murombedzi on social media.
He spent five days "sleeping on a rocky perch, amidst roaring lions, passing elephants, eating wild fruits", she said.
Matusadona game park has about 40 lions. At one point, it had one of the highest lion population densities in Africa, according to African Parks.
Murombedzi said the boy used his knowledge of the wild and survival skills to stay alive.
Tinotenda survived his ordeal by eating wild fruit. He also dug small wells into dry riverbeds with a stick to access drinking water - a skill taught in the drought-prone area.
Members of the local Nyaminyami community started a search party and beat drums each day to try and guide him back home.
But ultimately, it was park rangers who managed to find him.
On his fifth day in the wild, Tinotenda heard a ranger's car and ran toward it, narrowly missing it, the MP said.
Luckily, the rangers returned, spotted "fresh little human footprints," and searched the area until they found him.
"This was probably his last chance of being rescued after 5 days in the wilderness," said the MP.
The park is over 1,470 sq km (570 sq miles) and is home to zebras, elephants, hippos, lions and antelope.
Across social media, people have been praising the young boy for his resilience.
"This is beyond human comprehension," one person wrote on social media.
Another user wrote: "He's going to have one hell of a story to tell when he gets back to school."
Nigerians visiting Thailand can now apply for visas electronically.
The Royal Thai embassy in Abuja set the applications’ start date at January 1 after announcing they were no longer accepting physical applications.
The policy also applies to citizens of Ghana, Cameroon, Benin Republic, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Chad.
In a statement, the embassy said all applicants must be residing within the aforementioned countries when applying for the visa.
The embassy said it has the right to cancel the visa applications should the applicants fail to provide evidence of their presence within the aforementioned countries.
“Travel booking confirmation must be provided upon submission of your visa application. This includes return flight details showing applicant’s name, departure and return date, all flights en route from the aforementioned countries to Thailand,” the embassy said.
“Upon receiving your application, it takes within 5 working days to get your visa.”
The embassy said the processing time can take longer in certain cases.
Intending travellers were advised to apply for a visa at least 4-6 weeks before the departure date but not more than three months before.
Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, our First Runner-Up and Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, sends her warmest wishes for a fantastic new year and shares her hopes for the future. Happy New Year! 🇳🇬🤍
Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, our First Runner-Up and Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, sends her warmest wishes for a fantastic new year and shares her hopes for the future. Happy New Year! 🇳🇬🤍 pic.twitter.com/PKrz8Smzst
A Tesla Cybertruck exploded and caught fire outside the Trump Towers in Las Vegas, according to officials and video showing the vehicle engulfed in flames. A person inside the vehicle died and there seven others suffered minor injuries, police said.
"There is one deceased individual in the Cybertruck, and I don't know whether it's a male or female," said Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at a press conference.
He added, "At this time, we are investigating a number of leads, and I'm not prepared to release any of that information to you just yet. We can. I can tell you that there are seven victims right now that sustained injuries from the explosion." He said those injuries are reportedly minor.
The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known. McMahill noted that officials are "very well aware" of the deadly New Orleans attack on Wednesday, when a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers, killing at least 10 people. Because of the timing, he said that officials are "taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe."
"We're looking for secondary devices," he added.
Eric Trump, one of President-elect Donald Trump's sons, wrote about the fire on social media on Wednesday, saying that an "electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas."
In the past year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become a close advisor to Trump, with the billionaire tasked to head up Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Musk, along with his co-leader of DOGE, Vivek Ramaswamy, are aiming to cut billions in federal spending.
Business › Nigerians In UK, US & Canada Initiate Dispute After Detty December by nlfpmod(mod): 8:06am On Jan 19, 2025
