A quick catch up on today’s top stories…
1) Nigerian oil production and storage vessel explodes on sea
An oil production and storage vessel exploded off the coast of Nigeria early on Wednesday with 10 crew members on board though it was not yet clear if there were any casualties or how much crude might have spilled into the sea.
Nigeria’s Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) said on Thursday that flames had engulfed the Trinity Spirit floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel following the blast a day earlier.
“At this time there are no reported fatalities but we can confirm that there were 10 crewmen on board the vessel prior to the incident and we are prioritising investigations with respect to their safety and security,” SEPCOL Chief Executive Ikemefuna Okafor said in a statement.
2) Beverage vendor dragged to court for mixing Marijuana with drink
The Somanya District Magistrate Court in Eastern Region has remanded into police custody a 24-year-old beverage vendor accused of producing drinks allegedly laced with marijuana.
The accused, Laad Anas, has been charged for possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.
The accused was arrested by the Kpong Police under Akuse District Police Command on Sunday, January 30, 2022, during a swoop in the area. Police retrieved 36 pieces of the liquid substance laced with marijuana. The accused admitted ownership of the substance.
3) Philippines ban anonymous internet use in major fight against social media abuse, misinformation
Philippines lawmakers have approved legislation requiring social media users to register their legal identities and phone numbers when creating new accounts, a senator said on Thursday, in an ambitious move to thwart online abuse and misinformation.
The bill is a rare push by a legislature to compel users to disclose details that would allow them to be traced, in a country notorious for online trolling, disinformation and use of anonymous social media accounts.
4) Science fiction epic ‘Dune’ leads BAFTA nominations with 11 nods
Science fiction epic “Dune”, a mammoth adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, led nominations for the British Academy Film Awards on Thursday, securing 11 nods, with dark Western “The Power of the Dog” following with eight.
“Belfast”, Kenneth Brannagh’s semi-autobiographical black and white comedy drama set at the onset of Northern Ireland’s three decades of conflict, received six nominations at Britain’s top movie honours.
All three films will compete for best film at the awards, known as the BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Arts), alongside coming-of-age tale “Licorice Pizza” and “Don’t Look Up”, a humorous warning about climate change.
5) [Beijing 2022] Pelosi urges U.S. athletes not to anger ‘ruthless’ Chinese government at Games
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that the United States had a moral duty to condemn China’s rights abuses, but urged U.S. athletes not to risk angering the “ruthless” Chinese government, a day before the opening of the Beijing Olympics.
Pelosi, speaking at a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing, said the International Olympic Committee “turns a blind eye” to Beijing’s rights violations.
