Danish container shipping major Maersk is preparing to resume vessel transits through the Red Sea following the deployment of naval assets in the region under the multinational security initiative Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG). The United States launched the new multinational security operation under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of Task Force 153, which focuses on security in the Red Sea. In addition to the United States; United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain have also signed onto the initiative. Maersk joined numerous carriers in suspending vessel transits in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden following the escalation of the security situation in the region and the growing number of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi Group. But in a statement issued on Christmas Eve, Maersk said, “With the OPG initiative in operation, we are preparing to allow for vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and westbound.

Fubara, in his Christmas message, on Monday, said that the terms of the peace agreement are not as grievous as most people made it to appear, admitting that some people that are kicking against it are genuine. “Our decision and determination to file more cases on this matter is because we cannot see where the governor can deliberately contradict court orders. It would be recalled that the truce initiated by President Bola Tinubu has been adjudged by many to be biased, unjust and anti-people. The Guardian recalled that some Rivers elders had dragged Tinubu, among others, including Fubara to an Abuja Federal Court on account of a breach of the Constitution in signing the peace agreement. Nko-Taria, while speaking on a Port Harcourt-based radio station, yesterday, said Fubara was threatened to sign the peace resolution with Wike.

No fewer than 25 persons have lost their lives following an explosion from an illegal oil tapping point in Omoku, Ogba/Egebema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. Speaking, the chairman of Niger Delta Youth Movement, ONELGA chapter, Emeka Ukwuosah, advised youths in the area to engage in meaningful activities and shun illegal oil bunkering. Ukwuosah said, “Let me join in condemning the illegal oil bunkering going on within ONELGA. Agbabere said the vigilante group, the Community Development Committee and the youths were directed by a monarch in the area to put a stop to illegal oil bunkering activities there. He however expressed dismay that despite their repeated campaigns for the youths to stop illegal bunkering, they paid a deaf ear.

The DR Congo government said Tuesday that it would outlaw an opposition-led demonstration planned for Wednesday to protest alleged “irregularities” in last week’s elections. Five opposition presidential candidates informed the governor of Kinshasa in a letter published Saturday of their intention to organise the march. But with definitive results still not announced, the government said the protests will be disruptive. “We will protest against the irregularities observed during voting,” they wrote. Another candidate and former governor of the south-east Katanga region, Moise Katumbi, called for the elections to be annulled.

The wife of Rivers State Governor, Mrs Valerie Fubara, says she will continue to pray for peace in the state so that there will be accelerated growth and development. She also said the administration of her husband, Siminalayi Fubara, will continue to give priority to issues of children and youths to make life better for them. Mrs Fubara spoke at the maiden edition of the end-of-year party organised for children in the state which was held at Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. She added, “About parents, we must continue to do those things that are right before God and man in bringing up our children for the benefit of the larger society. “For us, we will continue to do our best to pray for peace in our state so that there will be accelerated growth and development for the benefit of the people.”

A former member of the Senate, Shehu Sani, has decried the recent killings and destruction of properties in Jos, Plateau State. The PUNCH reports that the Plateau State Police Command on Tuesday disclosed that 96 persons were killed while 221 houses were set ablaze during the Christmas Eve attacks by gunmen in Plateau State. The State Commissioner of Police, Okoro Alawari, disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement signed by the command’s spokesman, Alfred Alabo. He said, “I watched the video of the outcome of the massacre in Plateau state. This is one of the most cruel and evil acts of inhumanity I’ve ever seen.

The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has lamented how terrorists had been occupying schools in the Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of the state for the past five years. The governor said that the crisis in the state had continued to escalate because no arrest had been made so far by security agents. Governor Mutfwang described the Christmas Eve attacks by assailants on over 15 communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the state as unfortunate. SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Plateau State Command of the Nigerian Police Force says that no fewer than 86 persons have been killed with 221 houses completely burnt down during the Christmas Eve attacks by gunmen in Plateau State. “I can tell you that these schools that are being occupied didn’t start now; some of those schools have been occupied for the last three to five years.

Russia has confirmed one of its warships has been damaged in a Ukrainian attack on a Black Sea port. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the large landing ship Novocherkassk was struck by Ukrainian aircraft carrying guided missiles. The head of the Ukrainian Air Force said earlier its warplanes had destroyed the ship. The port’s transport operations are said to be functioning as normal after the area was cordoned off, while a fire caused by the attack was contained. Footage purportedly showing a huge explosion in the port was shared by Ukrainian air force commander Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk.

The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has alleged some saboteurs are frustrating President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to reinvigorate the economy and enhance living standard of Nigerians. It has gotten to a level where the federal government has to go after the so-called saboteurs and punish them. On the 2024 budget proposal, Bamidele maintained that the Senate would meet the December 30, 2023 deadline set for passage of the N27.5 trillion budgetary estimate. “We are determined to pass the budget proposal before the end of the year in order to sustain the January-December budget cycle. “Our hope and determination is to pass the 2024 budget proposal by December 2023 so that by December 1, 2024, Mr President would have a bill at his desk for assent.

Every Christmas, there is always an upsurge of arguments about the appropriateness or not of celebrating Christmas. Yet there is another group which argues that Jesus never celebrated his birthday and never directed his followers to celebrate it. First is the argument about Christmas having a pagan origin. Has Christmas not overshadowed it and become among the most celebrated festivals in the world? On the third issue, which is that Christmas should not be celebrated because Jesus never celebrated his birthday, neither did he enjoin his followers to celebrate his birthday, one can’t also see the point in it.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, put the street value of the confiscated and destroyed fake products at over N750 million. “Four trailers cannot carry the fake products we moved out from here.”By all accounts, fake and adulterated products have become a major problem in Nigeria with devastating effects on the health of citizens, local manufacturers, and importers of genuine products. Undoubtedly, Nigeria has had a long battle with fake and substandard products; only the methods and the scale of proliferation have changed. Aside from this, counterfeit products also have adverse economic effects. An estimate by PwC, a global consultancy, indicated that Nigeria loses about N200 billion annually to counterfeit medicines (excluding substandard drugs).

The National Drug Dosage Calculation Competition for Nurses (NDDCCN) has tasked Nigerian Nurses with drug dosage calculation problems in a competition. The Nurse emphasized the role of nurses in the different stages of the process- prescribing, educating, administering and monitoring. After a very competitive challenge, the winner emerged, in person of Favour Ojo from the University of Ibadan. The first runner-up was Rebecca Akinyinka, University of Ibadan, while the second runner-up was Jemilat Yakubu also from the University of Ibadan. Panellists in the event are: Mr. Oluwatobi Adewumi, the quiz master; Mr. Daniel Olasunkanmi, the scorekeeper; Miss Oluwadamilola Fadodun, the event moderator.

A mass wedding ceremony involving 50 couples has been held in Afghanistan. Such ceremonies have become more common as low-income couples seek to avoid the high costs of a traditional wedding. Roohullah Rezayi, 18, explained to AFP news agency he could not have afforded a solo wedding. For some of the grooms-to-be it had been a long wait, AFP notes. “I’ve been waiting for this day for three years,” said Samiullah Zamani, a 23, a farmer from Kabul province.

AFCON/WAFCON spotsAnother feat on the continent in 2023 was the qualification of both the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons for next year’s AFCON and WAFCON respectively. Victor Osimhen was the AFCON qualifiers top scorer with 10 goals as Nigeria topped its group with 15 points. She was, however, unable to defend her title, finishing fifth in the race which was won by Jamaica’s Danielle Williams. Dominant D’TigressJust about a month after the appointment of Rena Wakama as the coach of D’Tigress, the Nigeria national women’s basketball team on August 5 won the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tournament. Before the men’s triumph, Nigeria was selected as one of the countries to host the ICC 2023 Cricket World Cup Trophy.

The Special CBN Investigator, Jim Obazee, has summoned the Chairman of Titan Trust Bank, Babatunde Lemo, in connection with the acquisition of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc by TTB. Lemo was invited in a letter dated December 24, 2023, and signed by the Head of Operations, Office of the Special Investigator, DCP Eloho Okpoziakpo. Obazee had in his report alleged that some persons were used as proxies by a former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to set up Titan Trust Bank and acquire Union Bank. He insisted that the establishment of Titan Trust Bank and the subsequent acquisition of Union Bank were transparent and duly verified by the relevant regulatory bodies. As of press time, The PUNCH could not independently verify why the special investigator did get the documents as claimed above.