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China, New Zealand, Australia enter 2024 with fireworks (PHOTOS)

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As major countries of the world await with eagerness to celebrate 2024, a few nations have already begun their celebrations.

 

China, New Zealand, Australia and Kiribati were one of the first nations to ring in 2024 as ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza cast a pall over celebrations and heightened tensions across parts of the world.

 

Residents of Auckland welcomed in the new year with a fireworks display over Sky Tower, New Zealand’s tallest structure.

 

Jubilant crowds began bidding farewell to the hottest year on record Sunday, closing a turbulent 12 months marked by clever chatbots, climate crises and wrenching wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

 

The world’s population — now more than eight billion — will see out the old and usher in the new, with many hoping to shake the weight of high living costs and global tumult.

 

In Sydney, the self-proclaimed “New Year’s capital of the world”, more than a million partygoers packed the harbour foreshore, with city officials and police warning that all vantage points were full.

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Sydneysiders gathered through the day at prominent sites, defying uncharacteristically dank weather, and they were not disappointed when the Harbour Bridge and other landmarks were garlanded in light and colour by eight tonnes of fireworks.

 

Sydney’s spectacular show lit the fuse on 2024, a year that will bring elections concerning half the world’s population and a summer Olympiad celebrated in Paris.

 

Sequence of New Year Celebrations

New Zealand – December 31, 11:00 am GMT (4.30 pm IST)

 

Australia – December 31, 1:00 pm GMT (6.30 pm IST)

 

Japan, South and North Korea – December 31, 3:00 pm GMT (8.30 pm IST)

 

China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines – December 31, 4:00 pm GMT (9.30 pm IST)

 

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia – December 31, 5:00 pm GMT (10.30 pm IST)

 

UAE, Oman, Azerbaijan – December 31, 8:00 pm GMT (January 1, 1.30 am IST)

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Greece, South Africa, Cyprus, Egypt, Namibia – December 31, 10:00 pm GMT (January 1, 3.30 am)

 

 

Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Morocco, Congo, Malta – December 31, 11:00 pm GMT (January 1, 4.30 am IST)

 

UK, Ireland, Portugal – January 1, 00:00 GMT (5.30 am IST)

 

Brazil, Argentina, Chile – January 1, 3 am GMT (8.30 am IST)

 

Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Venezuela, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands – January 1, 4 am GMT (9.30 am IST)

 

US East Coast (New York, Washington DC, etc), Peru, Cuba, Bahamas – January 1, 5 am (10.30 am IST)

Mexico, parts of Canada and the US – January 1, 6 am GMT (11.30 am IST)

US West Coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc) – January 1, 8 am GMT (1.30 pm IST)

 

Hawaii, French Polynesia – January 1, 10 am GMT (3.30 pm IST)

Samoa – January 1, 11 am GMT (4.30 pm IST)

READ  Nigerians cruise into 2023 with prayers, fanfare

 

Baker Island, Howland Island – January 1, 12 pm GMT (5.30 pm IST)

 

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Lifestyle

Police arrest Portable over ‘G-Wagon debt’

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Controversial singer, Portable, has been arrested by the Lagos state police command for allegedly failing to pay the debt he incurred after purchasing his G-Wagon from a car dealer.

 

 

The singer, born Habeeb Okikiola, was apprehended on Tuesday, Benjamin Hundeyin, the state police spokesperson, told TheCable Lifestyle.

 

“Yes, Portable has been arrested,” Hundeyin said.

 

The ‘Zazoo Zeh’ hitmaker was said to have bought the vehicle worth N27 million but paid only N13 million.

 

 

Portable allegedly refused to pay the remaining N14 million and whenever the car dealer requested for his money, he always claimed the vehicle was having issues.

 

The singer purchased the car last year and was once seen using the vehicle to distribute food items to children on the streets.

 

This is not the first time Portable will be arrested by the police. In April last year, the Ogun police arrested the singer over an alleged assault.

The arrest came after the expiration of the 72-hour ultimatum given to him to turn himself in.

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The singer previously resisted attempts by the police to arrest him and also referred to himself as “a federal government liability”.

 

Portable gained fame in December 2021 with the release of ‘Zazoo Zeh’, his hit single featuring Olamide and Poco Lee.

 

He has also produced hit tracks including ‘All Eyes On Me’, ‘Clear Azaman’, ‘Neighbour’, and ‘Ogo Forever’.

The singer is known for making headlines over controversial reasons.

 

He recently collaborated with Skepta, the British rapper, on ‘Tony Montana’.

 

Portable also recently said fashion was his ‘profession” before venturing into music. He revealed that he is still a fashion designer and “combines” the profession with his music career.

 

 

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BREAKING: Niger Speaker halts wedding plans for 100 orphans

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The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulamlik Sarkindaji, has stopped the planned hosting of the wedding of 100 orphan girls in his constituency, saying he would not grace the occasion.

 

Sarkindaji took the decision following the action of the Women Affairs Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, who dragged the Speaker to court to halt the wedding.

 

The Speaker made this known on Tuesday during a media briefing in which he said the minister had overstepped her bounds.

 

He said the minister should take over the sponsorship of the wedding ceremony.

 

The Speaker disclosed that he had already made funds available to the girls’ parents through the traditional leaders and clerics of his constituency, noting that he would not withdraw the funds.

 

Abdulmalik also pointed out that his motive for wanting to sponsor the wedding was the state of poverty of the girls’ parents and not the constituency project, as reported in the media.

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Bullying: Student drags Abuja British School to court, seeks N500m damages

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Namitra Bwala, a female student of Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja,, has dragged the school before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for allegedly failing to protect her from bullies and subsequent cover-up of the incident

 

The incident gained widespread attention after a video surfaced on social media showing a female student Mariam Hassan, bullying a fellow student Namtira Bwala.

 

The video sparked outrage across social media platforms, prompting calls for accountability and justice by netizens.

 

However, the school authorities issued a statement claiming it was investigating the incident and taking all necessary steps to address it while the Federal Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development also waded into the matter. The bully, Maryam, thereafter, tendered a public apology to the victim and the public through a viral video message.

 

But, apparently dissatisfied, Namitra Bwala, a minor and suing through her guardian, Mr. Daniel Madu Bwala, has approached the FCT High Court for restitution, accusing the Lead British International School of negligence and cover-up of the incident.

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According to the court papers and a press statement issued by the law firm of Deji Adeyanju and Partners, signed by a founding partner of the firm, Marvin Omorogbe, Esq. on Monday, Namitra specifically sought a total N505m in damages against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, for failing in its obligation to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for her while under its custody and care.

The damages include N500m damage against the school for failing in its duty to provide protection and care for her, N5million cost of litigation and public apology in two national dailies.

 

 

“We are Solicitors to Ms. Namitra Bwala (hereinafter referred to as our client) on whose instruction we hereby notify the general public of the fact that our client has instituted a civil suit against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, following the viral video released on the internet a few weeks ago where our client was seen being bullied by her fellow students.

“The law suit with case number FCT/HC/CV/2341/24: MISS NAMTIRA BWALA v LEAD BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LTD was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and seeks damages against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, for failing in its obligation to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for our client.

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“Our client hopes that this lawsuit will bring about drastic changes and adequate measures to prevent a reoccurrence of similar issues in the school,” Barrister Omorogbe, Esq stated.

 

 

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