NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week

It’s another edition of NRTC WEEKLY Roundup — in this week’s edition, we are focusing on five trending stories across the country.

As usual, the stories will cut across the top five beats in our media organization, NRTC [your one-stop hub for rich and reliable content covering entertainment, sports, politics, metro, and leading stories].

As we all know, a day can’t pass without trending stories and we have tracked many of them for you this week. Why not scroll down and treat yourself?

ALSO READ: NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week

_{Leading story: Mark Elliot Zuckerberg’s Threads app, education; Mmesoma Ejikeme’s allegedlyJamb score manipulation; politics: Tinubu’s Tax Reforms, business: NPC requests additional funds for Census, entertainment: Guinness World Record are the stories to discuss on this week NRTC WEEKLY.} 

Leading story: Mark Elliot Zuckerberg’s Threads app

Mr. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg’s Threads app [a distinct app created by the Instagram team] had made the social media platforms go agog since it was launched on Wednesday 5th of July, 2023. 

Threads, which was created to compete with Elon Musk’s Twitter, had the same Instagram but seeks to bring the same level of engagement to text updates to offer a separate, inclusive space for real-time updates and public conversations.

According to Zuckerberg, since launching at midnight, the new app has received more than 10 million sign-ups, expressing opinions that there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion plus people on it.

ALSO READ: NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week

NRTC WEEKLY findings showed that Threads, which allow users the opportunity of importing their display picture and external links that are associated with their Instagram account, also has a feature that allows users to follow the same accounts they do on Instagram.

Meta says users can as well create a new account where they can choose their name, bio, and profile picture, NRTC WEEKLY gathered. 

A check on Threads by NRTC WEEKLY showed that many users of Twitter have relocated to the new app purposely for freedom. NRTC WEEKLY gathered that since Musk acquired Twitter on October 27, 2022, for $44 billion many laws had been introduced leading to users begging for a new app.

Our [NRTC WEEKLY] findings revealed that a fee was introduced for blue tick, as well as others putting the app in a situation of having the opportunity to do this but failing to nail it.

According to NRTC WEEKLY, Netizens were so happy about the launch of Threads, however, many associated the name with sewing machines and others. But our findings showed that people are currently enjoying the app and might have caused Elon Musk a lot.

ALSO READ: NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week

NRTC WEEKLY gathered that Elon Musk’s Twitter has threatened legal action against the company (Meta), accusing it of poaching former employees and unlawfully misappropriating trade secrets and intellectual property.

He claimed the company “deliberately assigned” them to work on Threads “with the specific intent that they use Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property to accelerate the development of Meta’s competing app.”

Education; Mmesoma Ejikeme’s allegedlyJamb score manipulation

Nigerians, especially Netizens this week took to their social media platforms to express concern over the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) accusation of a candidate of allegedly manipulating her UTME results and inflating the scores from 249 to 362.

But the candidate, Mmesoma Ejikeme insisted that the 362 was the score she received both on the JAMB website and in the SMS sent to her by the board, NRTC WEEKLY gathered.

In a bid to get justice for Mmesoma, who had lost scholarships and money awarded to her for emerging as the highest scorer, the Anambra State government faulted the position of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board handling the process of Mmesoma Ejikeme University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination result.

Anambra government in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu said the investigation was ongoing on what transpired about the result when JAMB made a press release condemning the result as being fake.

ALSO READ: NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week

Nwosu added that following the development, an eight-member committee of inquiry has been set up to thoroughly investigate the JAMB/Mmesoma matter and the findings of the Committee will be made public, NRTC WEEKLY learned.

Away from the set-up committee, some lawyers have taken up the case to fight for Mmesoma. Netizens who faulted JAMB berated the body for carrying out an unplanned examination. 

“JAMB doesn’t worth it. The same JAMB that is claiming someone manipulated her result was the same one that came out to tell Nigerians that a snake swallowed thirty-six [36] million naira which is not possible. 

“This child is traumatized, JAMB should let her be and address the loopholes in their operation not to parade an underage person as a suspect.”

They (Netizens) frowned at the bad behavior of JAMB and called for necessary action against them as soon as possible. 

Entertainment: Breaking of Guinness World Record

In the realm of extraordinary achievements, few accomplishments hold as much prestige and fascination as the Guinness World Records. Since its inception, individuals and groups have strived to push the boundaries of human potential, aiming to secure their place in history by breaking records deemed unimaginable. 

On this momentous occasion, NRTC WEEKLY delved into the captivating story of an awe-inspiring feat that shattered existing records and captured the world’s attention.

NRTC WEEKLY gathered that since Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong Bassey known as Hilda Baci set the record to be the holder of the Guinness World Record for marathon cooking (Cook-athon) with 93 hours 11 minutes, surpassing Indian chef Lata Tondon’s 87 hours, 45 minutes cooking, there had been no rest for Nigerians. 

We gathered that if it’s a book that can tear, Africans, especially Nigerians would have torn it apart with their marathon activities aimed at breaking the Guinness World Record. 

In a display of ambition, perseverance, and unwavering determination, a group of individuals has announced plans to embark on an audacious journey to surpass an existing Guinness World Record. 

Recently, Joyc Ifeoma, the Nigerian lady doing a 72-hour massage marathon in a quest to set a new Guinness World Record collapsed — another citizen of Ekiti State announced a kissing marathon among others.

ALSO READ: NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week

NRTC WEEKLY gathered that Nigerians are no longer driven by their shared passion and the desire to leave an indelible mark on history by setting their sights on a record that seemed insurmountable, captivated the imagination of many, and garnered global attention.

What got Netizens talking was the Cameroonian lady identified as Danny Zara who declared her interest in embarking on a 200-hour sex marathon. Breaking a Guinness World Record is an extraordinary feat that requires unparalleled dedication, unwavering focus, and an unrelenting drive to surpass existing limits. 

“Since chef Hilda Baci’s audacious pursuit of greatness brought her to q limelight as a powerful reminder that human potential knows no bounds — everybody has wanted to break records.

“They’re no more pushing the envelope of what was once deemed impossible by becoming an inspiration to countless others, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of history.”

Business: NPC requests additional funds for Census

Nigerians have expressed disappointment over the National Population Commission ( NPC) demands of N225.2b for the upcoming national population census from President Bola Tinubu.

NRTC WEEKLY confirmed that NPC, Isa Kwarra, made the requests on Thursday when he led his team to brief the President on the activities of the agency.

The census meant to be conducted early this year was postponed by the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, pegging it to the Tinubu administration. Nigeria last conducted a Census in 2006 — since then, the total number of citizens had been on assumption. 

ALSO READ: NRTC WEEKLY: Top 5 trending stories across the country this week 

Taking to their social media handles, Nigerians questioned NPC on the usefulness of released funds by Buhari, as well as explained the rationale behind additional funds request. 

According to them, instead of approving the billion naira, Nigeria should not conduct Census, hence, channel the money into education, health, and others, NRTC WEEKLY gathered.

“Tinubu should try not to approve it. Let them use the money for job creation and many other things that’ll better Nigerians.”

Politics: Tinubu’s Tax Reforms

This week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced that in a bid to curb multiple taxations as complained by a cross-section of Nigerians and the business community signed four Executive Orders, which include the suspension of the five percent Excise Tax on telecommunication services as well as the Excise Duty escalation on locally manufactured products, NRTC WEEKLY gathered. 

NRTC WEEKLY learned that Tinubu suspended the 2023 Finance Act 2023 deferring the date of its commencement from 28th May, 2023 to 1st of September, 2023.

Some of the suspended taxes were issued through Executive Orders by former President Muhammadu Buhari at the twilight of his administration. They include Corporate Income tax, Import duties, Export duties, Excise duties, Rents, Capital Gains Tax, Personal Income tax, Value Added Tax, Stamp duties, Property tax, Licenses, Motor Parking fee, Motor Vehicle fee, Withholding tax, Land tax, Market License fee, Road tax, Business Premises, dividend tax, NHIS levy, Advert fee, Regulation fees, the new NYSC levy.

NRTC WEEKLY gathered that the president said some of the tax policies are being implemented retroactively with their commencement dates, and in some instances, pre-dating the official publication of the relevant legal instruments backing them.

In a switch action, Tinubu approved the establishment of the Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms which is to be headed by Mr. Taiwo Oyedele. The committee will address issues concerning taxation and others.

Some Nigerians lauded the president while some antagonize him.

Here, the cotton of this week’s episode of NRTC WEEKLY will drop. Join us for another edition next week as we take you around the trending stories in Nigeria.